To Marry a Death Eater
by ReadBetweenMyLines
Summary: UNDER CONSTRUCTION Ginny is the wife of Draco Malfoy, who's a very high ranking Death Eater. Is it her choice? No. Does she love him? Of course not. He kidnapped her and had her family imprisoned... she couldn't love him! ...Right?
1. Chapter 1

_**Ginny**_

Ginevra Malfoy; that was my name, was it not? Of course, there were few times I felt I fit the place in life that came with this name. The name 'Malfoy' implied many things: Money, power, prestige, and blood as pure as winter's first snow. Let us not forget bigotry, cruelty, heartlessness, and _Death Eater_. I was none of these, and never wanted to be. I also never wanted to be Ginevra Malfoy, and was not happy when I took on the name.

When I _was _happy I was a Weasley, and lived with my family in the Burrow. It had been hardly two years since Harry, Ron, and Hermione left and since then we had no letters, no form of contact. They could have been dead for all we knew.

Back then, there wasn't much to be happy about; everyday people would disappear, become kidnapped, or die. Luna had gone missing almost three months ago, near the end of the school year. Colin Creevey left the Wizarding world completely near the start of the year, but not before they snapped his wand. His brother, as well. Even Demelza Robbins disappears from her dorm room one night and hadn't been seen since. I was relieved when I graduated, as I was expecting the Carrows to come up with some inane reason to keep me back.

It was the middle of the day and I was out in the garden, planting the new Singing Solarias Mum had bought. They were in the middle of a soothing lullaby, and they were all swaying in the breeze, their orange and yellow petals fluttering left and right. I closed my eyes and let their voices sink in.

The moment was shattered when Fred and George ran to the garden gate, yelling for me to get in the house. I didn't ask questions, I knew that it was serious. It had to be serious if they didn't call me in by throwing their new favorite product, the ever handy Exploding Egg.

As soon as I was in the door slammed shut behind me and Mum, Dad, the twins, and Charlie were there in my face, saying seven things at once, which was hard for only five people to do. I caught the vitals of their blithering. The Death Eaters were coming, and they were coming fast.

They'd had found evidence connecting dad and Harry or something, some excuse to make a move they've wanted to make for months. Had Dad not gotten the Patronus from Kingsley Shacklebolt moments earlier, it would've been too late.

There was a hidden store room-like hideout under the sitting room rug that we all rushed to get to. I lifted the rug and before I even had the door open all the way there was a loud bang near the front door and the sound of rushed foot steps. Mum shoved me in, shut the door and re-covered it with lightning speed, telling me not to make a sound. I tried to fight her, to push back, but Then everything was dark, save the light coming in from the cracks in the wooden floor; I was alone.

I heard forceful yelling accompanied by the sound of spells shooting and whizzing through the air and five loud thuds. _Oh, Merlin, please let my family be okay._ Through the mixed voices, although it was hard to tell, I hadn't heard the killing curse sounded and I tried to hold on to what little hope I had.

More yelling, but I recognized some of the voices this time. It was Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, and a maybe one or two strangers. '_No, no, no,'_ I thought. '_Please, no_.' My hands felt damp and I realized I was crying, sobbing, choking on my own tears. I tried to quiet down when I realized how loud I was, but it was too late. Even as I clamped my hands over my mouth in desperation I knew it was futile. They'd heard me and knew where I was.

The last thing I saw, as the secret hatch was flung open, was a bright purple light above me. Then everything went black.

_**Draco**_

On the night I learnt that my father, aunt, and their underlings were going to take the Weasley home, and all of it's residents, I didn't sleep.

Lord Voldemort had, by some unexplainable miracle, moved from Malfoy Manor to one of our more unused homes, just outside of London. It eliminated a large amount of the dark cloud that seemed to constantly hover over the Manor these days.

We, the Death Eaters, were all sitting at a large wooden table, with Voldemort at the head. I was only four seat down on the right, my father next to me. Severus was on Voldemort's immediate left, my aunt to his right. Wormtail cowered in the corner, feeding Nagini rats as she seemed to be playing with the idea of eating _him_.

"My Lord," Yaxley bowed his head from the center of the table as he addressed him. "We now have sufficient evidence that Arthur Weasley is connected to the Quibbler, the tabloid that supports the potter boy. With your permission, we plan to attack and take him and his family into custody."

Lord Voldemort nodded and scheduled the attack for the day after next. "Lucius, you and Bellatrix shall accompany Yaxley and his men." I sat tense in my seat once Yaxley mentioned the Weasley family, but didn't say a word. I would save it for later.

The next morning I went straight to Lord Voldemort to vouch on the youngest Weasley's behalf. I asked for a private audience, which probably wouldn't have been allowed if he had been in a foul mood- well, foul_er_ than usual, so I was hopeful.

As I walked into the large, empty room, I saw him, sitting on a sort of steel throne, slouching with his fist keeping his head up. He wore the same long black robes as usual.

Once we were alone Voldemort raised the pale white skin where his left eyebrow should have been. "What is this about, Draco?" He asked in his cold hissing voice.

I bowed low at the waist, my eyes trained on the marble floor.

"My Lord," I began hesitantly. "I have come to you this morning to discuss the attack being planned on the Weasley home."

If he was surprised, he didn't show it. With near mock indifference he asked, "and what concern of it is yours, Draco? From what I know you have no connection to the Weasleys."

"More specifically, My Lord, the youngest Weasley; Ginevra Weasley. I have come to ask you to spare her and put her in my care." I dared to look up, only slightly.

"The Weasley girl?" He drawled. He was curious. "This comes as quite a shock I must say, Draco. What, I ask, are you planning to do with her once she is in your grasp? Hmm?"

"My Lord, I plan to marry her," my face was blanch, I could tell. Invisible pins pricked me all over as I spoke. "With your permission, of course. This is why I requested such an audience with you," I somehow kept my voice from shaking. I was brought up to respect and fear Lord Voldemort, but I mostly feared him. I didn't know anyone who didn't, save Dumbledore, and he died because of his foolish courage. The Dark Lord was a monster that could, and would, kill me at the smallest hesitation, with no regret, and no thought.

At this Voldemort broke from his careless position and sat straight up and stared at me with his red slits for eyes. Minutes passed, every one seeming to be an eternity. Finally he spoke.

"Marry her... on what grounds did you form this plan?" He questioned. "Marrying a Blood Traitor," he spit out 'Blood Traitor' like it was mud in his mouth.

"She is a pure blood, My Lord. And her family's history shows strong fertility. I believe with a little encouragement she would make a fine Malfoy. You, yourself, once said that every drop of magical blood spilled is a waste, My Lord," I spoke with the finality I had practiced in the mirror more than twenty times.

He seemed to consider it for a moment, the cogs in his head turning.

"I will," I had to concentrate very hard not to suck in my breath as he paused, "allow this, Draco, if only for experiment to see if any blood traitors after the Weasley girl can have their ways of thinking be…altered. Tell your father I wish to speak with him, immediately." He motioned for me to take my leave. I made my way out of the room, not daring to even let my mouth twitch in a small sign of victory. The only sound was the heels of my shoes clicking on perfectly polished floors. Before the door could even click closed I let out a sigh of relief. She would be spared. She would live. She would be mine. At last, all was well.

It was last year at Hogwarts, my seventh year, her sixth, that I really noticed Ginny for the first time.

The moon had just come up, and I decided to go for a midnight stroll. I had passed the Death Eater guards, ready to Confundus them, but I saw that it was already done for me. _Interesting…_

As I strolled out onto the Hogwarts grounds and I saw someone heading towards the Forbidden Forest in the distance. It was Ginny Weasley. I knew it was her straight away because her hair was sparkling bright red in the moonlight as she took cover in the forest's shadows. I followed her, sprinting to catch up, even though Malfoys weren't supposed to move at any more than a brisk strut. It didn't take long to find her wandering about the forest. Why go in there, of all places? It was probably almost as dangerous as Hogwarts now. However, I never received an answer.

After fifteen minutes of walking, the redhead stopped in her tracks in a small clearing. She laid down and didn't move a muscle, her eyes trained on the sky. Was she stargazing? Astronomy was no longer offered at Hogwarts, so it was possible. But why waste detention with the Carrows just to look at a bunch of stars?

After another half hour, she stood up, without warning, and walked back out of the Forbidden Forest. I was surprised to see that, when she arrived back at the Hogwart's gates, the guards were still as confused as when I first found them. With a spell that powerful, the little Weasel couldn't be showing all of her skills tot heir full potential; not from what I'd heard around the halls.

I didn't know why- and I still don't- but something about Ginny that night changed the way I saw her. She wasn't just the youngest of the Blood Traitors anymore, she was an object of curiosity- first, to see what else she was hiding; then, I simply fell into the rhythm of watching her. I watched her as she ate, as she walked down the halls, I even volunteered to oversee some of the less damage-inducing detentions, where she would clean the whole dungeon (and one rather unpleasant detention in the owlery) until she was ready to pass out.

The night Ginny came to our house, she was completely unconscious. My father didn't say a word against the idea, but I supposed that was the Dark Lord's doing.

I immediately took her to her new room, which I had decorated to accommodate her. The spell, Father told me, would only last for another two hours or so. I had to prepare for her to awaken.

A/N: Well, here's the new and improved Chapter One! I won't upload them all at once, so there may be a few inconsistencies for a period of time. But, hopefully, they won't last long!

I've added a whole bunch and hope to utilize a few changes this chapter later on, like the stargazing bit. Oh, the romanticisms I could cook up… But enough for now!

I can't really recognize reviewers, seeing as its Chapter One, but I will thank the reviewers of Old Chapter One: **Angel Of Doom **and **Dracoginnylover24! **I hope you two remembered I existed, and will like this much more than Old Chapter One, likewise for everyone else!

Until later, Duckies.

Read.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Ginny**_

When I woke up, dazed and confused, the first thing I noticed was the dark. It was _too_ dark. I didn't like it. Then I wondered what had happened to me_. Maybe I had been saved by Harry, Hermione, and Ron._ _Maybe my family was okay. Maybe it was all just a dream, a_nightmare_. _I thought in my delirious state.

My hope of it being a dream vanished as the large mahogany door in the far corner of the room opened, blinding me for a few seconds. I put my hand up to my eyes and when I took it away I saw a tan little house elf at the door, peeking inside. Upon seeing me conscious it hobbled in with a silver platter.

The weary little thing looked so scared; he couldn't even look me in the eye. He looked at the floor and set the silver tray on my legs. With a snap of his fingers the chandelier hanging from the high ceiling lit up, revealing the rest of the room to me.

It was large, perhaps one of the biggest rooms I'd ever seen, excluding the Great Hall. The walls were dark emerald with a white trim. As for furniture, other than the large bed I laid in, there wasn't much: a nightstand with a mirror, a small chair by the large window with the curtains closed. There was also a large telescope sitting off to the side.

"Pardon, Miss," said the elf in a quiet, hoarse voice, "But Master said to give Miss this." He quickly took a crisp white envelope from his sack-like clothing and shoved it in my direction, averting his eyes as I gently took it from him.

The elf's eyes widened and he ran out of the room, hitting his head, and leaving the door shut tight. I heard a small click, a lock closing.

On the tray the elf gave me were eggs, bacon, and toast. There was also a goblet of pumpkin juice. It looked very fresh and delicious, but I was more interested in the letter.

I ignored the food and opened the envelope, ripping the deep red wax seal. The letter inside was written in still-fresh onyx ink.

_Ginevra Weasley,_

_Welcome, Ginevra, to your new home. The Dark Lord has decided to spare you from your fate and allow you to live here, with me.__When you are done eating your breakfast you are to follow Mipsy, the house elf who delivered all this to you, down to the Study to discuss some impending issues with my father and I. I would advise you to not attempt to escape; as we have guards everywhere and very powerful charms in place. _

_Welcome home,_

_Draco Malfoy_

Draco Malfoy! I was in his _home?_ Why in the world would _Voldemort_ spare me? If the Malfoys thought I'd tell them one thing about Harry or the others, they were dead wrong. It's not as if I'd known anything, anyway. They wouldn't tell me anything.

I reread the note furiously and didn't notice Mipsy slink back in.

"Miss? Miss, I beg Miss's pardon but Mipsy must take Miss to see Master Malfoy and the Young Master in the Study," Mipsy was shaking with fear by the time he had finished_._

_Poor thing, it's no wonder he's scared all the time, living with the Malfoys,_I thought with pity.

I nodded wordlessly, placed the tray to the side, and slowly slunk out of the large bed, weary of my own balance. I followed Mipsy out of the room and through the huge maze of a mansion. Mipsy stopped and pointed to the door closest to us, a signal for me to continue inside without him. Before I entered I resolved to extract from Malfoy any information I could about where my parents and family where.

I walked in to find Lucius Malfoy at his desk looking over papers, acting like he hadn't just killed only _Merlin_ knows how many innocent Muggles, and Malfoy lounging on a small chair that looked like it cost more than my life.

_**Draco**_

_Where was she?_ I thought as I paced the length of the Study again and again. I had sent Mipsy to her room with breakfast and her instructions over twenty minutes ago. I couldn't sit straight. I couldn't think. What if she _did_ try to escape? What if she got hurt? There were wards and spells in place that would make sure she got hurt, no question. What if-?

"Draco you must stop that incessant pacing, it's unbecoming of a Malfoy," My father snapped in a tight, annoyed voice. He went back to scanning business documents,

I gave a huff and plopped down on an ornate chair up against the wall. Just then, the Study door creaked open, and Ginevra stepped in, her face scrunched up in what looked like determination.

My father looked up, just for a moment, and motioned for her to sit in the large black leather seat in the middle of the room. She flared up, so angry it almost seemed as if her hair was bristling, like a cat. She proceeded to question my father as if _he _were the captive.

"Where's my family? My parents, my brothers? Did you-" he cut her off.

"_Enough_!" My father hissed in a clipped voice. He pulled out his wand and held it high. "_Sit_, Miss Weasley. We have matters to discuss. I am not above using _Imperio_, either, so I _suggest_ you do as I say."

She sat. Glaring at my father, she asked with venom in her voice, "So what's this about? Going to torture me before you kill me? Well, I don't know anything, so you can _Crucio_ me all you want."

"No, Miss Weasley, I'm not going to torture you for information," my Father sighed in annoyance. "For some reason the Dark Lord wishes to experiment with you. You see, Miss Weasley, most Pure Bloods are given a choice; join the Dark Lord and live, or resist and die. The Dark Lord thinks if we can readjust your mind we can do it to most everyone, allowing them to live and help create a new generation of Wizard, one so strong and loyal no others will dare go against him. For this trial plan to be carried out in full, you must marry my son, Draco."

She laughed. Actually _laughed._ The sweet, tinkling sound I would listen for closely as I strutted down the corridors of Hogwarts, mocking me. I clenched my fist.

"Come off it. Me and the _ferret_? You'd sooner live as a Muggle than see your only son marry a 'filthy Blood Traitor' and I'm sure Malfoy would be much more happy with that pug-looking slag on his arm. What's her name? Pansy," she giggled some more.

My father grimaced at her words, knowing them to be true. Well, half true. I would never prefer Pansy to Ginevra. "Miss Weasley, I assure you I couldn't agree more. However, I do not have a choice in the matter."

She became sober immediately. "You- you're not serious?" she sputtered. "Oh, my God. I.. No! No, I won't!"

My Father smirked. "Ah, I thought you might say that. Which is why your brothers and parents are being held in Azkaban; if you refuse or try to escape or prove to be, ah, _difficult_ they _will_ be given the Dementor's Kiss."

At this she looked directly at me. I hadn't thought she noticed me until then. The look she gave me was one of hatred and sorrow. She blamed me for this. A small pang went through my chest, but I ignored it. She _should_ be thanking me; if it wasn't for me she'd be in Azkaban with her Blood Traitor family, or worse.

She'd get used to me, to us. She'd love me. She'd want me. She'd be mine. I _swear_ it. There _was no_ 'or else'.

While Father continued to explain the rules he expected she keep until the ceremony, she reverted her eyes from me and stared at her hands, clasped in her lap. I, however, was still very keen on watching her.

"You're not to leave your room unless escorted. Of course, once the marriage takes place, you'll be free to roam about the Manor as you wish- only a few rooms will be off limits. Those will pointed out to you. However, leaving the grounds will be strictly prohibited without an escort," he said. "The marriage will be announced within the week, at the ball my wife, Narcissa, is holding; there's no need for you to attend, we'll simply say you've taken ill. I believe that is all for now, Miss Weasley. You may go."

She looked a little unsure of what to do. I moved to get up and escort her, but the door opened and Mipsy stepped in. Ginevra rose from her seat and quickly exited, the stupid little creature on her heals.

I was in a foul mood for the rest of the evening.

A/N: Here it is: New Chapter Two! This one has less alterations, I think. I do like it better, and I hope you do, too!

Well, until next time, faithful Duckies (I've resolved to address my followers as such. Any objections or alternative? Personally I love it. Duckies are cute.) make sure to review, add to your updates list, whatnot.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Ginny**_

_Oh, Merlin, how could this happen?_I had just left the study; Mipsy waited showed me the way back to my room. No, not my room. My cell. The elf gave me a sad smile as he shut me in the room, the lock clicking behind me.

"Oh, Merlin," I whispered as I sunk to the floor. How could this happen? One moment I was so happy and now…

I let a few tears slip from my eyes, but quickly wiped them away.

I was to become the next Mrs Malfoy. I got sick at just the thought of it. If they expected Malfoy and I to be married, that means they expected us to…to… consuma-

_No, I will not think about that. _But I had to do something; I wasn't the type to take anything laying down. What could I do? My wand was gone and I was in an environment full of Death Eaters who were used to killing people far greater than me. I couldn't go around doing acts of rebellion like I had during my Hogwarts years. Angering Malfoy would only put me in more danger, so whatever I was going to do, it would have to be quiet and tactical.

At this moment, I was thankful to have spent so much time with Mad Eye Moody during my stay at Grimwald Place in my fourth year, because Mad Eye was the most tactical person I could imagine, and I had picked up more from him than I let on at Hogwarts.

"Constant vigilance," he'd probably say if he were still alive.

I had no wand, no weapon. As far as I knew, no one knew where I was and Malfoy had my family captive. I was at the mercy of the Malfoy heir. Even if I didn't like it, I knew that escaping was probably going to be a journey, with more than one or two bumps in the road. I couldn't just ask to take a stroll in the garden and fly away on a Nimbus. If I was to survive, I'd have to keep constant vigilance.

Of course, I couldn't do anything while still locked up in this room.

Ooooo

Two days later, I had formed a sort of pattern. I would wake up, lie in bed until Mipsy brought breakfast and eat while chatting with him. Well, mostly it was I who talked and Mipsy nodded nervously, but that was more than any other elves did. Then I would think, pace about, nap, do anything to distract myself from boredom. A different house elf would bring lunch and pop away. I would pace and nap until Mipsy brought supper.

_Knock, knock. _

I woke up on the third day to knocking on my door. I knew it wasn't a house elf, because they usually just popped in. I wasn't sure what to do, because I couldn't unlock the door myself.

"Uh… come in," I called.

The door sprang open and a vey tall woman walked in hurriedly. She had short black hair and a beauty mark just above her lip. Her eyes were sharp and her smile was friendly enough, though it had a hint of mischief in it. She wore deep red robes with a fur trim, obviously real and very expensive. Following the woman in were four large, floating books and various sewing utensils.

To my disappointment, the door closed promptly behind her.

"Mrs Malfoy," she called. Her voice, laden with a French accent, reminded me of Fleur Delacour's. "we meet at last."

"My name is Ginny _Weasley," _I emphasized.

She waved it off, "Ah, but not for much longer, _non_? My name eez Bernadette Bertrand. I am your wedding consultant. Of course, I 'ave much planned out already, but I will need your 'elp with some zings."

_Wedding consultant? _My heart beat quickened as I thought, _How close is this sham of a wedding? _They'd never told me when Malfoy and I were to be married. I was worried it was all too close.

"Now," she sat on the edge of the bed, the books and utensils placing themselves neatly beside her. "First, we must discuss ze dress!"

"Dress," I repeated. "Have.. have you discussed any of this with the Malfoys?" Surely they wouldn't let me have a say in the ceremony, considering the fact that they think me to be a poor Blood Traitor who's not worthy to breathe the same oxygen as their precious son.

"Yes, well," she rolled her eyes in an exaggerated fashion, "Ze young man does not know what 'e wants and alzough ze in-laws were perfectly fine wiz taking control, I 'ad to 'ave ze bride's outlook on zings. No matter ze situation, _mais oui_?"

So she knew that I didn't want to have anything to do with Malfoy, let alone marry him. Although I didn't see how a wedding planner could be used to my advantage, I decided to go along with whatever she wanted me to do; it's not like I had much of a choice, either way.

"This is moving a little fast," I said weakly. "I mean, I don't want to marry Malfoy. They're _forcing_ me. Surely they told you that?"

"Ze Malfoys said if I conzulted you eet might be- _ques que ce?-_ _difficult_. But you zeem to be a charming young girl," she patted my hand. "Now, about ze flavor of ze cake. Are you allergic to anyzing?"

_Merlin, I've gone round the twist. I'm planning my wedding to Draco Malfoy. Mum, Dad, if you can hear me, I'm sorry. I'll get out soon… I hope. _

Oooooo

Bernadette didn't visit after that day, and I went back to my usual schedule: Wake up, lie in bed for a long while, pace about the room, take naps, stare out the window, eat, pace some more. In between all this, I'd gone over the room with a fine-toothed comb. The window, although it appeared to be a normal window, had wards around it and was unbreakable. It was also charmed to stay locked. _Damn. _The dresser was also charmed to stay put, and the knobs and handles couldn't be broken off or unscrewed to use as a weapon, much to my dismay.

I was losing hope.

A week after Bernadette's surprise appearance, the door opened again. I tore my gaze from the window to see Mipsy and a few maids walk in, holding a large white dress.

_Merlin, no. It's today. _No one had told me anything. Well, I hadn't had any human contact, save Bernadette, since I was barricaded in that room, but I had thought that they'd at least _send _someone to give me a day's warning. I supposed I expected too much of a family of Death Eaters.

"Miss," Mipsy whispered. Out of all the house elves who had brought me food, Mipsy was the only one who would talk to me. Short words, at first, then whole sentences. I hadn't told him much; just that I missed my family, that I cried some nights. He also knew of the extreme hatred I had for the Malfoys. Not that it wasn't obvious. "Miss needs to put the dressy on, please."

"I don't want to, Mipsy."

"But Miss must. If not, Master Lucius will come and be not nice!"

I closed my eyes, tight. "I know," I said. I opened my eyes and tried to fill my expression with all the defiance and courage I could muster. And so I stood and let the servants dress me in the white wedding gown. They even did my hair. I wondered if Malfoy thought that putting me in a fancy dress and doing my air up all nice would change my view. Like giving me a big wedding, with a cake the size of a person and a dress that was worth more than my home, would make me want to marry the groom.

I gave a bitter laugh as I saw myself in the mirror with the maids making the final touches behind me.

Mipsy opened the door and Blaise Zabini walked in wearing a crisp set of dress robes. Mipsy looked at me, then to the floor and said nervously, "Mister Blaisey will escort Miss to the ceremony and gives her away."

I was to be given away by _Blaise Zabini?_Zabini was, from what I gathered while at Hogwarts, a terrible person, but certainly not a Death Eater. He was self-centered, mean, arrogant, and a true Slytherin, but absolutely not a Death Eater. I was thankful for that little bit of comfort.

He held out his arm for me to take, but didn't look at me. I lightly wrapped my arm around his and Mipsy handed me a large bouquet of white roses.

Here comes the bride.

_**Draco**_

I stood at the alter, looking at the crowd with practiced stoicism. Everything was impeccable. The chairs, which were a polished gold with silver draping, were spaced perfectly. The long path that the bridal party would travel down was decorated with an expensive silver rug with swirling gold embellishments.

Mother insisted that the ceremony be large, but Father wanted something small and won out in the end. Only seventy people were invited (Forty of which worked with Father and I.) The Dark Lord was unable to attend, thankfully, as he was out of the country for the moment. Of course, I wouldn't tell anyone I was thankful, but Voldemort being back in the Manor would have dampened the wedding spirit.

Now if only the little Weaslette would _turn up. _

The officiator, who stood a step behind me, coughed uncomfortably.

Then, the music started. I tensed as the first of the bridal party, Pansy and Crabbe, walked in. It went on until Pansy, Astoria Greengrass and her sister, Daphne were on one side of the alter and Crabbe and Goyle stood next to me. Then Ginevra walked in, on Blaise's arm.

I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. She was beautiful; her dress was classically styled but with enough modern hints to suggest it was still in fashion. Her fiery red hair pinned up so that one or two large curls were loose, just brushing her shoulder and the veil on her head looked like a halo surrounding her.

The only thing that was missing was a smile, the bashful, overwhelmingly happy kind you usually see at weddings. In it's place was a slight frown.

Blaise took his place with Crabbe and Goyle and Ginevra stood next to me. We both turned towards the officiator as he began to speak.

"We gather today to take witness to the joining of two loving, devoted Pure-Blood souls: Draco Lucius Malfoy and Ginevra Molly Weasley," he began cheerfully. He droned on about how lucky we were to find each other in the world, where so little bonds such as ours are made. He had _no_ idea. "And now the couple shall recite the words which shall bind them together. Draco," he gestured towards me.

I held Ginevra's limp hands firmly in my own and recited, "I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, pledge to spend my life with you, through the light and dark. I pledge to share with you one love, one lifetime. I will be your freedom, your daylight. I pledge to guard you and guide you for as long as my soul walks this earth. Anywhere you go, I will go, too; in heart and spirit. I will love you and serve you, now and forever." As I finished, my voice became more sincere. I meant it- I would guard and guide Ginevra to the fullest extent; I would love and be with her _always_.

She, however, repeated the words with less enthusiasm. I gripped her hands tighter as she spoke the binding lines with a dead, emotionless voice, almost hoping to squeeze the love from her. I was awarded with only a slight grimace as she ended her speech.

"I now declare you both bonded for life," the short man called, smiling. The crowd began to clap politely and I let go of Ginevra's hands, which had turned a nasty shade of red.

I guided her arm into linking with mine and we began to walk back up the aisle. When Ginevra's walking turned to dragging, I looked back, just in time to see her collapse. I caught her before she could hit the floor.

_**Ginny**_

My life with 'Draco'-I wasn't _allowed_ to call him Malfoy, anymore-was stable for a long while, seeing as he was never around; he was always away on 'work' in the daytime. I dreaded the evenings, though. He insisted on sharing a room and rarely slept elsewhere, unless he was staying up particularly late. In the beginning, when he finally fell asleep at night, I would sneak away to bathe and wash myself of him. Somehow, he found out about my little excursions and decided to stop the bathtub and shower from producing water strictly after ten o'clock. Even the sinks wouldn't work.

He was laughing at me.

Ooooo

I was relieved to find out that my door was no longer locked after the wedding night. I could go anywhere in the house- well, almost. I had been warned off of a few hallways and doors, saying it was in my best interest and Malfoy Manor was a very old house with Dark secrets that haven't been touched for centuries. I had no trouble believing it.

At first I would wander about, exploring, always taking note of where things where and what room was which, looking for some way out, some crack in the system, or anything that could aid me in an escape. It seemed Draco was very careful about what I was exposed to. In my wanderings, I happened across the main library.

The library was almost the size of the Hogwarts Library, and held books on many subjects. None, I noticed, were on Dark Arts or spells, which shocked me thoroughly. Perhaps they had a separate library for those. I spent a long time in there, and no one seemed to mind. I read on things that I thought would be useful; I read on the Malfoy line, as far back as a hundred years. I read a book on how to erect magical barriers, a few fiction novels with rather detailed escape or survival scenes, even one on psychology.

Once, after finishing a particularly enlightening book on Abraxas Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy's father, I found myself wandering down a corridor I hadn't seen before. Curious, I stepped into one of the larger doors on my right. It turned out to be the kitchen. I watched for a few moments as servants and a few house elves ran about (as I would come to learn, the Malfoys really only had three house elves. The rest of the staff were wizards and witches.) I decided I was hungry and went to reach for a cupboard that I saw had cherries and other fresh fruit in it. Immediately one of the servants called out, "Miss, please, let me get that for you!"

"No," I protested. "I can do it." I hadn't done something for myself in a while and was eager to at least get my own snack. The staff looked on, with their eyes wide, as I retrieved the cherries and a bowl and left, back to the library.

As it turned out, that was a mistake.

ooooo

Later that evening, Draco and I sat down to dinner. The knife was gone from it's place at my setting. Not surprisingly, as I had attempted to slip it into my pocket as the previous night's meal ended. As I left the dining room that night, I reached for the knife to make sure it was still there. It wasn't. Draco had made sure none of the utensils could leave the dining room, of course. Draco thought of _everything._ A tear slipped from my cheek at another failed attempt, another centimeter gone from the little window of hope.

"Well, Ginevra," Draco said nonchalantly before the main course was served. "Would you like the servants to bring you your food, or would you prefer to get it yourself like a common wretch, hmm?"

After that, I was sure he had someone reporting on me so I made sure to act with much more discretion; I only went from my room to the library for anything other than meals. I didn't talk to the servants, other than Mipsy, because I knew every word I said would be reported straight back to Draco.

To occupy myself, I mostly stuck with reading, although I would sometimes set aside a small amount of time to concentrate on how much I resented Draco Malfoy. Usually this time was at night, after Draco had fallen asleep and I laid awake. When I couldn't sleep at all during night I talked to my family, pretending that they could hear me. It brought me comfort in a strange way, although I knew I was most likely loosing my mind.

A/N: D'oh, goodness. This one's long- and to think, it started out as a wittle baby, only 700 words long. Mummy's proud, Duckies. Mummy's proud.

Please, review, rate, subscribe, as it gives me the will to move on. Working on three things at once is discouraging and reviews can be real moral-boosters! :D


	4. Chapter 4

_**Ginny**_

I was at the window, looking at the stars through the large telescope. I had always liked to watch the stars in school and sometimes would sneak out just to go to a special clearing in the Forbidden Forest where some of my favourite constellations were clearest. When the boredom became too much I would anticipate the nighttime more than anything, well, early nighttime, before Draco came home.

As the door swung open, I couldn't help but think, _speak of the devil and he shall appear. _I smirked at my little inside joke.

When Draco saw me sitting at the window his mouth lifted up into a smarmy grin. "Well, Ginevra, it seems you'll be needing a new dress," he said in an almost jovial voice. He loosened his tie and removed his robes.

I was careful in responding. A new dress? Draco had never expressed an interest in my attire, before. Of course, I had new clothing since coming to Malfoy Manor- I woke one morning to the dresser drawers filled with casual tops and bottoms. A few pairs of underwear were in one drawer, along with some little black thing that I haven't touched and Draco, thankfully, had said nothing about.

I cleared my throat, "For what?" I said, my voice neutral, like always when I talked to him. I never gave him the pleasure of either happiness or anger when I spoke to him.

"We," he replied, "Have a ball to go to the day after tomorrow. Zabini is having a party to celebrate his coming back from Germany."

A ball. A small part of me is elated at the chance of leaving Malfoy Manor, even if for just a while, and talking to real people. However, I quickly crush it. Anyone there would be a Death Eater or a sympathizer. I wouldn't allow myself to be happy at the prospect of being in the presence of the people who had harmed and killed so many of the people I loved. Ironic, seeing as I'm married to the person who'd hurt me most of all.

"I can't go. I'm not feeling well," I said, making sure to add a small quaver in my voice.

"Nonsense. Of course you'll go: I told you to," he said, as if it were the most sensible thing in the world. He pulled back the covers of the bed and slid in, wearing only his boxers. "I'll have a book of dresses and dress robes sent in tomorrow while I'm away and you'll pick one. Now, come to bed."

As careful as I was with my temper, I did have slip ups now and again, and couldn't stop the words leaving my mouth. "I don't want to go to a big Death Eater party where half the people want me dead and the other half have already attempted it, yourself included," the words dripped with the unspoken malice I'd held in since day one, and I hoped Draco felt every bit of it.

His pale cheeks tinged pink and his face became cold. "Ginevra, you'd do well to watch what you say. You shall go to the ball. Let's not forget that I hold your family in the palm of my hand- well, what's left of them, anyway."

I blanched and hesitantly mumbled a small apology, trying to put an apologetic face on, even though all I felt was contempt. I crawled into the bed as he wrapped his arms around me.

Ooooo

When we arrived at the Zabini house- large and grand, but nothing to Malfoy Manor- we were greeted by Blaise Zabini and a rather slinky looking blonde hanging off his arm. We sat at a long table of about a hundred other people- all Death Eaters, Pure Bloods, and sympathizers- to eat a four course meal. After we were finished, the plates and tables vanished and a dance floor appeared.

The orchestra hired played beautifully, but, of course, I never danced. Not that I would want to. Draco dragged me around the large room to talk to hundreds of people who never looked at me.

Draco had me glued to his hip most of the night, really, while he conversed with the most wanted people in Europe- well, they weren't wanted anymore, but had the world been sane, they'd have been wanted.

Around the end of the party, when there were only twenty or so couples left on the dance floor, Draco left me alone by the punch bowl to talk to Blaise about something or another. He gave me a strict look and said not to move. While he was gone, two women, one of them a brunette and the other an obviously fake blonde, strolled over to me. Daphne Greengrass and her sister, Astoria, I thought. Daphne was a year ahead of me in school and Astoria, a year below, so I didn't know either of them very well.

"Why, hello," Daphne smiled, her crimson lips stretching into an expression of mock-happiness. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Daphne and this is my younger sister, Astoria." She motioned to the dark-haired girl.

"Good evening," I said in a low voice.

"We couldn't help but noticed that you were abandoned by your husband," drawled Astoria. "He really shouldn't leave you alone at these functions; things have been known to happen."

"Happen?" I repeated. I didn't think either of them came over to express any real concern. In fact, quite the opposite.

"Well, things do happen, what with the attendants records, you know. What is it you think, being a former Weasley, about coming to a party where so many witches and wizards support the Dark Lord?" Daphne narrowed her eyes. I noticed a few people had , not-so-discreetly, turned to eaves drop.

"Well, so far everyone's been rather pleasant," I lied. I'm usually quite a skilled liar and had been since I was small. But something about those two women made me nervous. Not that I'd let them know it.

"Ginevra," Draco said from behind me in a clipped voice. "I see you've met the Greengrass sisters."

"Indeed, she has," Daphne replied. "And we were just discussing dear Ginny's little switch in political views- weren't we, _Gin?_"

"Oh," Draco said, eyeing me closely. "And…?"

They were expecting me to answer.

Ooooo

"Ginevra, go to our room and wait there for me," he said as he poured the amber whiskey into a small crystal cup. We had just Apparated to the Manor, in Draco's study. "We shall discuss your punishment later."

"What?" I asked, incredulous. I knew it was a mistake as soon as it was out of my mouth.

"Your punishment. Ginevra, you embarrassed me in front of the entire party-" _There were hardly twenty people in the room, _I almost pointed out. I noticed the pink tingeing in his cheeks, however, and checked myself. "Everyone now knows that the new Mrs _Malfoy_ can't stand to be around her new husband, because she's still stuck to ruddy _Saint Potter _and foolish ideas of equality for Mudbloods!"

"Because we were so believable in our _happy marriage _before?" It was the wrong thing to say, but I wasn't turning back now.

"You try my patients, you little bint." His face was red, partly from anger and partly from the alcohol.

"Aren't you supposed to be my _husband?" _I said, mockingly. "I thought husbands were supposed to side with their _wives_ and protect them?" I may have played the silent doll for over a month, now, but the that didn't mean I didn't have enough fire in me left to fight with Draco Malfoy.

He stopped and seemed to fill with anger. "And so I shall," he whispered in a deathly quiet tone. Suddenly he turned round, pulled his arm back, and struck me. I felt a stinging sensation in my cheek. He yelled, and hit me again, throwing the glass of whiskey to the side. When I put my arms up in defense, he stopped dead. His face slowly reverted back to cold fury, instead of it's previous open rage. He turned on his heel and stormed out.

_**Draco**_

_How could she_do _that to me? Embarrassing me in front of my colleges and betters! To actually suggest that she still supported that ridiculous Order… that she supported _Potter, _no less_. 

And how dare she insult me, telling me I was supposed to protect her when she's the one at fault?

I had thought it wouldn't be as hard as I originally thought to get Ginny to come to reason, she'd complied to more than I thought possible. Then, she went and ruined everything. Well, I knew how she felt, now.

I could think of nothing else the rest of the night. I was absorbed in my anger, thriving off of it. I went to a separate bed from Ginevra to sleep. Usually I insisted on sleeping in the same bed, and I always took full enjoyment from it, but I was too angry tonight to focus on anything else.

I slithered under the expensive sheets on the large, empty bed in my separate room, my mind never straying from my anger at the red head down the hall. She would have to be punished, and any more acts of rebellion, no matter how small, must be seen to.

There was a fire in me that could see nothing more than her freckled face, her warm brown eyes, her light smile; a smile she'd never given to me. I wanted that, and more. I wanted all of my red-haired Malfoy, and she would be mine.

Sleep took me late that night and though I would never admit it, I had a pillow grasped tightly in my arms, wishing it's cool white fabric were replaced with tan, freckled skin.

_**Mipsy**_

The next morning Miss took breakfast in bed. She said the eggs was very good, and knew'd that Mipsy made them, cause they were her favourite- Miss told Mipsy many things, like what Miss's Mummy made for food and how, and sometimes Mipsy would make the kitchen staff make Miss's favourites. On those days Miss would smile at Mipsy when food was being served.

Miss didn't smile that day. Nor did she say very much, other than thanking Mipsy for breakfast. Even then, Mipsy saw Miss shed a few tears. Mipsy had thought he'd upset Miss, and had almost banged his head in a cabinet door before Miss stopped him. Then Mipsy noticed the dark marks on her upper arms and the greenish tint around Miss's eyes.

Master didn't come by, nor did Master inquire about Miss's health or state. Master spent half of the day out, flooing to Mister and Missus Malfoy (who had gone to the estate in France after the wedding and Miss's fainting) and the other half in Master's study. He didn't even come home that night to sleep in his and Miss's bed.

Mipsy is very worried, indeed.

A/N: New Chapter Four! Huzzah and glory be! Did anyone catch the little thing I did with the vows in the last chapter? If you do, tell me and you'll get a cookie.

I love rewriting these, though it takes asses long amounts of time. That's a real unit of measure, by the way; asses.

P.S. I got another one of _those _reviews, and thought I'd put out a little public announcement. again.

I understand that this story is similar to rrabbit's _I'm Yours _in that Draco kidnaps Ginny and uses her family as leverage for her to marry him. Also, he's a prick. And Harry finds her and hides her with him and the ginger and Mudblood. But let me make this clear:

When I began production of this story I **had not** read the story. It was brought to my attention, rather rudely, that some plot points were similar and I went and read the first chapter. It was well written, good stuff. But, if I may say so, not only quite different from this but a bit more risqué.

I apologize if you feel affronted, and going through and changing this story is also helping further this from _I'm Yours _and, hopefully, get ride of any negative attention.

I love you all and hope that you review and send your thoughts on the changes, or, if you're reading for the first time through, on… well, everything.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Ginny**_

Draco was out on another 'trip,' not expected back for another week or so, and I was alone with Mipsy in my rooms. I had felt sick, and Mipsy gave me a healing potion for fighting colds, but nothing came of it. I was still having trouble keeping any food down, was fatigued most of the day, and had a slight fever.

"Mipsy doesn't understand," he mumbled. "When Master Draco caught cold, this helped Master Draco right away, it did.

So the next day, a nervous Mipsy woke me up early with a bottle of Polyjuice potion and a hair from a Muggle maid (Not to mention an extensively bruised right arm. I've tried to get him to stop shoving his arm in a door every time he does something "Master wouldn't like at all, no!" but the progress is slow). He wouldn't tell me where he got the potion, although I suspected that Malfoy Manor had an extensive stock of potions somewhere. I drank it; it didn't taste so bad, like a strong mint and whiskey, mixed with carrot juice. I grew about four inches, my freckles disappeared and my red hair turned blonde while my brown eyes faded to green.

"Come, Miss," he said, holding out his hand.

"Mipsy, Apparation and Dissapperation isn't possible here, not for anyone but Draco," I pointed out.

"Perhaps for _Wizards _to pop, but for us house elves, we cans go wherever we like, Miss."

Mipsy grabbed my hand and we popped away.

Side-along Apparition was different with Mipsy than it was when my dad or mum used it before I learnt. The pulling at my navel was a bit more discreet, and less uncomfortable. It was more of a tingly feeling, if anything.

We sat in the waiting room for what seemed like hours, Mipsy's feet tapping to the same rhythm as my finger while impatiently watching the clock's all-too-slow second hand make a steady journey around and around the number wheel. A stack of _Daily Prophets_were piled on a small table. All of the articles were about Death Eaters and praising them and how Muggle-Borns were being arrested and it was a good thing.

Finally, when my name (I was going by "Ashnim Mogue") was called I, glancing to the other patients waiting (A few who 'worked' with Draco and would definitely raise their eyebrows at a house elf who was treated kindly), ordered Mipsy to wait there in a false, stately manner. I then followed the Medi-witch down the long hallway to an empty room where she weighed me and took my blood pressure and temperature. She said nothing about the slight bruises on my upper arm and lower leg.

The head Medi-Witch came and asked me numerous questions and had me give her a few of my hairs for testing potions as well as had me drink copious other, strangely colored and foul-tasting potions. She recorded the effects of the potions I took, gathered my hairs and left the room. I sat and waited. And waited. _And waited_.

I didn't dare think what horrible disease I had that couldn't be cured by magic. Instead I picked at my nails, bounced my foot, and counted the number of freckles on my arm.

Suddenly the door swung open and the Medi-witch was there again, this time all smiles.

"Well," she let out in a cheery voice. "Healer Wiley is very busy at the moment, and asked me to fill you in on what's happening. Basically ..."

I held my breath. Did I have a rare disease? The beginnings of Dragon Pox? Was it serious?

"... Congratulations! You're pregnant!" The Medi-witch smiled warmly and patted my leg.

... Pregnant?

_Pregnant?_

"Pregnant? I'm... Pregnant?" I whispered in silent shock.

The Medi-witch's face glowed with a smile. "That's right!" she bellowed. Obviously, in her mind, she thought that I had a loving husband who made an average wage and held me at night- one who would be happy at the thought of a baby, would pick me up and spin me 'round, laughing, and promise to make dinner for me and go out at midnight to get me chocolate ice cream. That was far from the case.

"Oh... I... I'd like to go home now, if that's alright," I said in a whisper. The older woman's smile faltered, but she didn't object. She only told me to make sure I saw a Healer regularly and listed off some potions to take before sending me on my way.

In the next ten minutes I re-filled on Polyjuice (I had slipped into the loo, as my skin had started to bubble and fade back to it's old, freckled self) and then Mipsy and I left hurriedly, receiving strange glances from the people in the waiting room. We went right back to the Manor. I didn't want to risk any of the staff to find me missing. After ensuring that none of the paintings outside could hear and that one of the help were around, Mipsy turned to me, worried.

"Miss? Would Miss like to tell Mipsy what's wrong?" The small, grey creature asked in a gentle voice. His large tennis ball sized eyes were even wider than normal, and racked with worry.

"Mipsy I've received the most horrid news on the face of the Wizarding World!" I exclaimed. I was silent for a while and finally sank down onto the small ornate seat nearest me.

"Mipsy, do you ever miss your parents?" I asked. A few months back Mipsy told me the Malfoy's had sold his parents to a family in Russia because they were "causing trouble." Mipsy replied that he had, on occasion. "I miss mine every day. And Fred. George. Even Ron. All of them. I think about them at least once a day. I wonder if they're safe, if they're eating right. If... they're alive. I think the same of Harry and Hermione, too. No one knows where Ron or the others are, do they? they haven't been captured or killed?"

Mipsy replied no, they have not. Like always. I could never figure if the lack of news was good or bad; it left me worrying so much, but also allowed for hope.

"Good. I worry every day. Every day I worry is another day I curse the name Malfoy for not letting me be with my parents and family. I can't raise a child like this, certainly not with Draco."

Mipsy eyes widened. "Miss is having a little master or mistress?"

I nodded solemnly. "Mipsy, I can't have this child, not now- not when I'm with Draco. Not when things are like this," I cried and Mipsy tried to console me as best he could, not used to showing affection to humans. He held my hand, patted my knee and shh'ed me in an attempt at consolement.

"Oh, Miss," Mipsy said "It'll be alright!"

_If only you were right, Mipsy._

I cried myself too sleep again that night. I had done that quite often, so none of the staff thought it strange when they set up my bath or took my laundry that I was crying and sputtering like a child.

_**Mipsy**_

After Miss, still crying and very distraught, went to bed, Mipsy paced about for a long time.

_Poor Miss. Miss is right, Miss shouldn't bring up a little master or little Miss in these conditions. Mipsy must find a way to help Miss!_

But how could Mipsy help his Miss? If Mipsy were to disobey his Master Draco's orders even more than he has already…

_Oh! Mipsy knows what Mipsy will do!_

Mipsy's idea was a very good one, but Mipsy had a very hard time doing it. Everything about it went against Master Draco's rules, but Mipsy had to. If Miss were to tell Master, Mipsy doesn't know what he would do, but if Miss were to_ not_ tell Master Draco and he were to find out on his own, Mipsy knows that Miss would be in very big trouble.

Mipsy worked all that night and all day the next day to help find a way to solve Miss's problem.

On the third evening everything was planned. Mipsy popped away from Malfoy Manor, very careful like that no one could see him.

"Mipsy," an old, croaky voice called, "where's choo at?"

"Here, Kreacher, sir," Mipsy called as the leathery elder Elf came from the shadows.

_**Draco**_

I was in the middle of a meeting, one of many. All around me were fellow Death Eaters and friends planning raids, abductions, murders and the like. I was there, but not really _there._ I spent all my time thinking of ways to make up for my atrocious behavior towards my wife, Ginny. I didn't want her to be angry with me, or scared of me. My temper just got a little out of hand from time to time, that's all. I just wanted her to listen. I just wanted us to be happy.

Perhaps I should stay away a bit longer than planned, to let Ginny have some space. It would give me time to think of something romantic to do. Perhaps we'll take a spontaneous trip to Rome, or Paris, or even to the Japanese island my father bought a while back. We could lie in a field and watch Cherry blossoms bloom.

"Malfoy," Avery said from my left. "What's wrong with you?"

I looked up from the table to see numerous pairs of eyes on me. Could these idiots leave me be? It's not as if I would sully my hand with half of these things- lowering myself to capturing people so low in the Resistance such as Colin Crevey was abhorable. I scoffed and left the table. At Avery's cry of annoyance I looked over my shoulder and said, "Perhaps if you could plan something worthy of my attention, I wouldn't be leaving. I mean, kidnapping a Muggleborn who probably has less information on the Resistance than a common Centuar? Really, Avery. Tut, tut."

I walked out of the room and back to the cottage I was staying at. I poured myself a large glass of Firewhiskey, and sat in front of the fire place, toying with the idea of Ginny. Her hair, blowing in the breeze, how her eyes would sparkle when I brought her whatever gift I would buy her. It would be our first gift exchange. Well, she had nothing to give me; at least, nothing of material value. She would smile at me, like I've always wanted her to. She would forget all about the night of the Zabini's ball. Then we'd take our gift giving back to the bedroom.

I was lost in my romanticisms the rest of the day, and for part of the evening, as well.

A/N: Updated Chapter Five! It was up later than planned, as I woke up the day of the finishing touches to a squirrel gutting me from the inside... Well, it felt like it, anyway. Thanks so much to the people who've reviewed to tell me to get off my last ass and stick to it. It's been more than a week I know, but this is harder than first anticipated and it's not even the only story I'm working on at the moment (_She Dreams in Ink,_ go read it. Oh shameless plugging… how I love thee) So thank you, please don't give up I'm getting there, if not slowly.. u_u


	6. Chapter 6

**Pre-A/N:ZOMG! I just realized… is Mipsy's name the same as that elf Dobby helped, that one from book 4…or 5 that was drunk on Butterbeer after getting freed when she was accused of trying to kill someone or w/e at the Q. World cup? Cuz that's not the Mipsy I'm talking 'Bout if the names are the same! Or if his/hers is the same as any HP elf name.I think my Mipsy's a guy… Maybe…I never asked….him…her…it?**

***POOF***

**MIPSY: Actually, Miss Itachi-**

**It's Itachi-**_**Sama**_**, Mips. Thanks.**

**MIPSY: Itachi-Sama, I am, indeed a male house elf.**

**.Well that answers our question, doesn't it, Beloved Readers? ******

Mipsy

Everything will go exactly as Mipsy planned, Miss will be gone from Master Malfoy and his abusiveness and Master Malfoy won't know until it's much too late. Miss will be so surprised and so happy. All Mipsy must do now is get Miss to the spare bedroom with the large fire-place at midnight. Then Miss and Miss's transportation will go to a far away safe place.

Ginny

It was 11:52 and Mipsy was nearly running through the manor with me in tow. Mipsy was rambling about me being happy and the baby being safe, not letting me get one word in let alone ask what he was talking about.

When we entered the room it was pitch black, and Mipsy said we couldn't light the fire-place, while at the same time snapped his fingers and a lit candle appeared in his wrinkled hand. Finally I spoke out.

"Mipsy, what exactly is going on?" I whispered.

"Miss," Mipsy replied. "Mipsy is going to get Miss and Miss's baby to a safe place, away from Master Malfoy, where Miss and the baby can be happy."

Hope spread through my chest. Was it true? Would I finally get out of here? Be happy with unborn my child, not worrying if I would go to bed in need of intensive care? As quickly as the light of hope came, it faded.

I sobered up ad asked, "Mipsy I can't leave! My family, they have my family! If I leave they'll _kill_ them!" I stressed, yanking my hand from his.

"No, Miss, they won't! Your family escaped from Azkaban almost two months ago. They have been in hiding since." Mipsy informed me.

My face was blank for a few seconds, as I soaked this in. My family… was free? Of course no one would tell me, because that meant I was free to waltz out the door of this cursed manor and never, ever come back.

Interrupting my thoughts, a flash went through the room and standing before me was someone I thought I'd never see again.

"Hermione?" I asked in shocked silence, not believing my eyes.

Mipsy smiled, looking between us. "Miss, Miss Granger has been instructed not to speak, should any house paintings or workers recognize her voice. She's here to take you to safety. The other two are at the 'place', waiting for you to arrive."

I tore my now teary eyes away from Hermione and bent down to Mipsy's level. "Oh, Mipsy, What about you? I don't know how Draco will react when he finds me missing. He could suspect you and hurt you or… or kill you! You have to come!"

"Miss, There is no room for Mipsy where you are going, and Mipsy can handle Master Draco. Mipsy will visit when it is safe."

I threw my arms around Mipsy's tiny form, and cried. "Oh Mipsy, there's no way I could ever thank or repay you! I'll miss you so much!"

"And I, you, Miss." Mipsy replied. "Now you and Miss Granger must get going, lest someone find us."

Mipsy pushed me away gently and gave Hermione a nod. Hermione put her arm around me a shot me a look that clearly said, _it's alright, Gin _as we stepped into the fireplace.

I said goodbye to Mipsy, and good riddance Malfoy Manor, watching both disappear in a flash of green flames.

**A/N: Hey Minna-Chan! Sorry I haven't updated in soooo long! Have I mentioned my procrastination problem? Weeelll I have one! Is it me or is this one shorter than the others? Hmm… **

**I got a problem! Okay I started the story with a VAGUE and I mean VA-HAGUE outline, and now I'm kinda stuck on where to take it next. I know there's a reunion to have and all but, after? IDK. Ideas? Thoughts? Comments? Cookies?**

**And I'm using TXT speak again, NOEZ! Damn you GaiaOnline! *Shakes virtual Fist***

**And my fingers feel so clumsy on the keyboard in the living room, its from like, 1990 and the keys are big and bulky, not like the laptop. ******


	7. Chapter 7

**Draco**

I apparated just outside the main door of Malfoy Manor; just having finished off Neville Longbottom on an emergency call from Lord Voldemort. I wasn't really supposed to _kill _him but after finding that picture of Ginny in his filthy excuse for a house I went on a rage. A small smirk appeared on my face as I was thinking of what awaited me on the other side of the large door. _My_wife, Ginny, would be inside. I imagined her in her rooms, sleeping lightly, and me sliding into the bed, awakening her with a light kiss and a hug to greet me, maybe even more if I'm up to it. Which I am. I've gotten no word of her, so I imagine she's caused no trouble. Perhaps when I'm settled back I'll allow her to buy a small companion for herself for times like these when I'm away. Not a dog, too loud and messy, but perhaps a muggle cat or even a snidget.

The door was opened for me and I walked through. I looked at- well through, really- the Mudblood servant who opened the door and asked her of my wife's whereabouts. I've come to love those words; _my_ wife, my _Ginny_. I mused on them for a few more seconds before turning back to the servant.

The Muggle-Born servant looked nervously at me at mumbled a few inaudible words. She began to fidget with her hands and squirm.

"What was that, girl?" I asked impatiently. I'll have to do something about incompetence around here. It seems these Mudblood servants get lazier everyday.

"Mrs Malfoy is… is…." She stuttered out, too petrified of finishing the sentence. She bit her lip and looked to the floor.

Was Ginny hurt? Sick? Had she been in an accident? Why has no one told me _anything_? Anger boiled up inside me like a volcano, ready to blow. And more than ready to take it out on the nearest living thing.

"Mrs Malfoy is _what_, you damned girl?!" I demanded, tempted to use _Crucio_ on her to get her spit it out.

"Gone, Sir!" She let out, the shout echoing off the pristine walls. "Mrs Malfoy is gone. She hasn't been seen for nearly these two days. The whole house and all of the grounds have been upturned and there is no sign of her _anywhere_. We believe she may have… ran away."

_Ran away?_I started to walk away, and without a pause in my Malfoy-Perfected Strut, I took out my wand and sent a killing curse that filthy Mudbloods way. I never checked to see if it hit, I was becoming blind with rage. I shouted orders to everyone and anyone who could hear me. Anyone who didn't listen or couldn't hear would be tortured and killed.

By the end of the day and the interrogation, which I called a few 'associates' over for, we found out nothing and several Mud-Blood servants were dead and twenty-three were either irreparably scarred or left for dead. I'll get someone to get them replaced soon.

I decided to contact my Father first thing on the morrow, bothering him now would not persuade him to feel helpful. He has many connections that would be useful in this situation.

There are only a select few people who would have the power or the sheer balls to do this, stealing Ginny away; Potter, Weasel, and the Mud-blood Granger. I know they had something to do with Ginny being taken, or running away. Weather or not she was willing would make all the difference when I get to her. And I _will_ get to her, no matter what happens, no matter who tries to stop me, I _will_ get to her and bring her back to me.

I went to bed that night dreaming of how grateful my Ginny would be when we rescue her from those filthy savages, and how we would be after Potty and his band of Merry Idiots were all dead.

**Ginny **

Hermione and I appeared in-what I assumed to be- a living room in a house I had never seen before. The room was small and decorated with a small couch and a chair, a coffee table and an ornate rug that needed to be cleaned. The walls were a strange green, and the wallpaper was peeling. I hadn't realized how used to the pristine and large Malfoy Manor I really was.

We took two steps in before throwing our arms around each other. "_Ginny_! Ginny it really is you! Oh I can't believe it; I've missed you so so much. We were so worried when that house elf contacted us, we thought is could have been a trap but it wasn't and- _oh_ Ginny I've missed you, _everyone_ has!" Hermione cried through her tears.

I could only nod and answer "Yeah. Yeah it is. Oh, Merlin, I've missed you too!"

It took us a while, but we calmed down. Hermione explained where we were. After she and the others escaped, they hopped all over from England to Scotland to America, along the way finding and getting rid of Death Eaters until finally hiding out in Ireland after a much too close call with Nott. Where we were was a new place they had acquired about two months ago. After Hermione thoroughly checked it over and put all the right protection charms over it, it was Death Eater tight.

"Harry and Ron will be back soon. They wanted to be here but heard that Death Eaters were planning an attack on a house hold accused of hiding Muggles. They left a bit ago." She left into the kitchen, and came out a minuet later with a tray of crackers and a small mismatched tea set, the tops of the cups steaming with tea. We sat and talked for a while and when the subject of me 'living' with Malfoy came up I switched it right back to her and Ron's own relationship.

A sudden 'Pop!' from across the room made us both jump. Standing in the corner of that small, shabby living room where two people I thought would never enter into my life again.

"Ron… Harry?" I choked out, my voice breaking from the withheld tears fighting to fall down my face. I ran into both of them, not sure who to hug first. I finally decided and clasped onto Ron, prepared never to let go. Before I knew it all four of us were locked in each others arms, crying and blubbering. Even Harry and Ron teared up a bit, faces all red.

We all broke apart and sat down. Ron was the first to speak. "Gin, we thought you were dead. I mean we always hoped but… and then that- that house elf just pops outta no where and suddenly you're married to _Malfoy_…."

"I know." I replied. "I'm so happy to be gone from there. I never thought this day would come and now I…we…"

I paused. Did Mipsy tell them about the baby? If they don't know, should I tell them? Did I want them to know? I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure if I wanted _Harry_ to know. Then again I didn't know where we stood with each other relationship wise. Was I just his best friends little sister? After all that happened surely I was not, but I didn't know what I was to him anymore if not that.

I finally ended the conversation by making the excuse of fatigue. Harry stood and volunteered to show me my room. Hermione and Ron agreed and walked into the kitchen. Together. In the opposite direction of where Harry was leading me. Gulp.

**A/N: VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ! I KNOW IT'S LONG BUT YOU CAN SKIM, JEEZ!!**

**I have a few issues to address.**

**A reviewer had brought it to my attention that Draco's character and thought pattern may not be very clear. And if it wasn't clear to them, it may not be clear to many others as well. I always wanted to shape Draco as kind of a cross between bipolar, Schizophrenic, and just not knowing any better. He has this very specific idea of what Ginny should be, and when Ginny 'Acts Out' he just loses it and then in the 'Aftermath' sees himself as guiltless because he views his anger and abusiveness as Ginny's fault. He's easily ticked off so it's almost like he has two personalities that can switch in the drop of a hat. I kind of thought I showed that in this chapter, with him going from his fond musings to shooting Avada Kedavara at everyone in a wands distance like that *Snaps Fingers***

**For those of you who read my story before March the 19- I went back and revised all my chapters. I added things, corrected misspellings and such. I remember in one chapter I added two whole long paragraphs, so if you want to go back and re-read, do so :D **

**Finally, (once I figure out how) I will be setting up a poll on my profile. I'm never sure what I'll write, and I want opinions on my next decision. I want to know if Ginny should stay with Harry and them during the whole of the pregnancy and have the baby with them, or if Draco should find her before hand. I really would like opinions and such from you guys, so vote, review, and all that. **

**Statistics from a nation wide test show that every **_**twenty minuets **_**ten authors die from lack of reviews. That's a fact. I just made that up, but it's a **_**fact**_**. Don't be part of the **_**problem**_**. Be part of the **_**solution**_**.**

**TH MORE YOU KNOW!*RAINBOWZ***


	8. Chapter 8

**Ginny**

I laid in bed that night, starring at the pale beige ceiling and counting the dots on it. _...Four, five, six, seven… _thinking about the small conversation Harry and I had not even five hours ago…_Eight, nine… ten…_.

_Harry and I were walking up a steep, thin set of creaking stairs, Harry in the lead with me trailing behind. We walked down a short hallway with only two or three doors in sight, stopping at the one furthest down the dingy hall._

_"Well," Harry said nervously, fidgeting with his hands. "Here it is." He opened the door and stepped in with me. I walked over to the window on the far side of the room, Harry following me, looking around rapidly. He didn't stop fiddling with his hands._

_"Ginny," He started, his fidgeting becoming more and more apparent, his hands twisting, turning, and twirling around each other.. "I just wanted to tell you… you know, before you went to bed, that…" He paused, trying to word his statement very carefully. "That if you ever are feeling troubled or hurt or anything… well, you could always tell me. Or Hermione. Even Ron…. Well, maybe not Ron, so much. You know how he gets sometimes." He gave a nervous chuckle. _

_I stared up at his bright green eyes, forcing them to meet my own. _He had never been good at this whole "talking to girls" thing, even when trying to comfort them_, I mused. _

_A few second passed, and I cleared my throat. _

_"I know, Harry. I know." I told him softly, looking down "I…" Should I tell him now, about the baby? Was it better to wait until tomorrow? They'd find out sometime, obviously…_

_"I'm really very tired; I think I'll get to be now." I chickened out. Damn. _

_He cleared his throat. "Oh, yeah, yeah.'corse." He started to walk out of the door, but paused. "Gin? I meant what I said. I want to be able to protect you. I don't want to lose you, not ever again. Please, think about what I said?"_

_I nodded. Harry stared at me a few more seconds and left, closing the door behind him. _

When had I become such a chicken? I used to be so sure of myself, so confident. The old me would have shut her eyes, took a breath and blurted out the solid truth. I realized then that I had changed, even if subtly.

As I thought about the conversation, I made a silent promise; I _would_ tell everyone about the baby in the morning, at the soonest moment.

I lay in bed for another half hour, starring at the ceiling, before falling asleep counting dots in my head.

_Fifteen, sixteen, water stain, seventeen…eighteen…. _

****

I was running. What I was running from, I don't know.

All around me were dark clouds, and there appeared to be no real ground. There was only the Darkness.

I could hear my heartbeat keeping in rhythm with my feet.

_Thump, thump. Thump, thump._

Out of nowhere there appeared large, decapitated, heads all above me, looking down at me with mock and disgust written plainly all over their twisted faces. I stopped running and stood still. I tried to move again, but something held me to the floor.

My legs struggled against the invisible force holding them to the ground.

The floating heads in the air became clearer and there, in the sky, were Harry, Hermione, and Ron, all had cruel expressions, dark and twisted and nasty.

"Well, well," spat the Ron-head. "Look what we have here. Is poor little Gin-Gin all alone? Scared of the big bad boogey man, eh?"

The Hermione and Harry-heads laughed.

_Where am I? _I thought nervously, why was Ron speaking that way? Isn't he my brother?

"Well Mrs _Malfoy_," The large Hermione head chimed. "Where is your wonderful husband, hmm? Didn't come to save his little harlot, did he? That's all you are useful for, you know, _lying on your back_." She sneered.

The three contorted faces pulled their mouths up in a cruel grin, all throwing in little agreements.

_Why were they all acting so horrid? What did I do? _I racked my brain but couldn't figure out why they were all acting this way… so cruel…

The Harry-Head made sure to do his part.

"Tut, tut, Mrs Malfoy, neglecting to tell us about that precious bundle of joy you're expecting?" He shook his head and Smile, his jagged yellow teeth quite apparent. "That little _demon_ inside your filthy carcass won't last long. It's disgusting, _just like its mother_." They all laughed again.

They began circling in the air, their twisted faced contorted even more with laughter. They all began to sing in a high pitched, taunting unison.

_Ginny Malfoy, little whore,_

_Lies on her back all day,_

_Begging for more!_

"No!" I shouted. I covered my ears with my hands and screwed my eyes shut "No, no, I'm not, no!"

Again and again they sang, rotating in a circle.

Suddenly, my legs were free and I sprang up and ran.

_Get away, get away, run, run, RUN!_

I ran not too far before bumping into a solid figure. _What was this? More torture?_

The chanting and laughter had stopped.

Strong arms wrapped themselves around me and a deep chuckle came from the person in front of me.

"Playing tag with the children again, Ginny?" said the deep, unknown voice.

_Children? _I had no children, certainly none of which to play tag with. I didn't even know how to play… The rules Hermione explained to me about the Muggle game in my second year were fuzzy…

I opened my shut-tight eyes and stared at my lilac shirt for a while, then found the courage to look up and strangely enough, looked up into the misty gray eyes of Draco Malfoy. He had a strange, warm smile on his face and his blond bangs, straight and sleek, hung low, sweeping his eyebrows.

I stifled a terrified scream. "You- but you're not… How did you…?" I stammered on for a few more minuets, so many things going through my head they wouldn't come out my mouth properly.

Draco gave me a strange look. "What's the matter, Ginny? Are you not feeling well?" He asked. "Mipsy! Mrs Malfoy is feeling unwell, prepare her a bath and ready her bed!"

"No, no! I- I'm fine, really!" I pulled away from him and gave Mipsy a small smile. "There'll be no need to ready anything, Mipsy." The words escaped from my mouth before I could stop them, so naturally, like I had always been so comfortable in this environment, like I always played the role of doting Mrs Malfoy.

"Are you sure?" Draco asked me, raising a silvery blond eyebrow. When I nodded the affirmative, he sent Mipsy away. "Well then, Love, shall we collect the children and head in? I believe it's nearly dinner time and the House-Elves have prepared some lovely _Chicken Fettuccini_ for dinner and _chocolate pudding for desert_." He was obviously trying to hook these children into coming in with the food. And it worked.

A strawberry-blond boy with bright brown eyes, who looked to be about five, came running over a small hill, past some Glowing Gazellias, and slowed to wait for the two others racing in our direction.

A second boy, no more than a year younger than the first, followed behind. The boy was a small copy of his father, blonde hair, gray eyes, and pale skin; he was holding the hand of a small infant girl, who looked two or three, dragging her with him. The girl, I was shocked to see, had large brown eyes, red hair (my exact shade, nearly), and a small amount of freckles spread across her light skin. The boy yanked the girl to hurry, clearly irritated that they were not inside stuffing pudding in their faces at that exact moment. She rushed her tiny legs, a small emerald blanket clutched in her hand and a white pacifier in her mouth.

Were these my children; my children with Draco? Surely this wasn't a glimpse into the future, it couldn't be! I had left Draco; I was safe in the small room in the house with the peeling green wallpaper with Hermione, Ron, and Harry protecting me.

It was all so strange.

Draco held out his elbow to me, a motion for us to lock arms. I stared at it for a moment until he cleared his throat and the children (who had now caught up with us) gave me a strange look. I gave a small 'squeak!' and laced my arm through Draco's, allowing him to lead me inside the large Manor which had always looked so foreboding to me. So strange now that it seemed light and large, the white stone walls giving off a glow from the mid day sun….

I stared at the ground as we entered the Manor, the children weaving in and out of our legs, playing a game of Catch-Me-If-You-Can.

We sat at a large Mahogany table with gold settings and velvet chairs, Draco at the head, me to his right, the oldest boy to his left, and the other two next to him.

As the salad was served Draco began conversation. "Well, did you three have fun in the gardens today? Didn't drive your mother _too_ mad, I hope." He laughed and the children giggled along. I stared, dumbfounded even more. This was all so very, _very_ wrong. Draco Malfoy, _horrid _Draco Malfoy did not act like this. Draco Malfoy had no children, other than the one in my stomach. Draco Malfoy didn't offer you his arm or escort you in, he headed straight to the table and if you're not there before him you don't get to eat food at all for days. He was a monster not… not this. And I certainly wasn't the Little Mrs Malfoy, Loving Wife and Mother of Three they act like I was and always had been.

Dinner progressed; Draco and the children (Who's names I learned through their conversation. The oldest was Scorpius, the younger boy Alexander, and the youngest Abigail, or more commonly, Abby) conversing and looking to me for reactions of some sort.

I wished I was back at the house, with my brother, with Hermione to comfort me and tell me none of this existed, that the Burrow was not burnt to a crisp, my family was downstairs, and Harry was still my boyfriend….

"Ginny?" I looked up. Draco was calling to me. I had spaced out a moment too long for him.

"Uh…y-yes?" I stammered.

"Ginny?" He called again. I answered louder, this time without stammering.

"Ginny!" Again. Couldn't he see I was right here? Didn't he see me?

"It's time to wake up, Gin, come on." Draco beckoned.

What? I was perfectly awake! What did he mean, "wake up"? He needs to see a Healer if he thinks I'm-

***

I sat straight up in the small bed I had fallen asleep in the night before. Fallen asleep, of course! It was a dream, nothing more! Or…a nightmare…

I looked around. Ron was standing over me, a crooked grin spread over his face. "Glad to see you finally decided to grace us with your conscious self, Gin."

I jumped from my bed and hugged him so tight he had to wrench me from him before he turned blue.

***

**Mipsy**

Master Draco has asked Mipsy repeatedly if Mipsy knows where Miss is; fortunately Mipsy always finds a loophole in Master Draco's questions and tells Master Draco Mipsy knows not where Miss is. Mipsy's had to burn Mipsy's ears, pour hot wax onto Mipsy's feet, and beat Mipsy with a fireplace poker, today only. Although it was horrible, Mipsy would go through this a thousand times more if it meant protecting Miss.

***

Walking through the long, but well known hallways of Malfoy Manor, Mipsy wanders to Master's Study to asks Master what he wishes for his evening meal.

Mipsy freezes, small hand poised to knock on the Study's polish wooden (and slightly ajar) door. Mipsy, hearing voices through the small crack, stops to listen. Master Malfoy is having a conversation with the Goyle boy, a nasty man, indeed…

"So, Goyle, what did you want to see me about? I'm very busy at the moment." Master Draco drawled. Not for a moment has Master Draco been discouraged in the search for Miss. Mipsy only hopes Miss stays hidden as she is; for Mipsy can't stand to think what may happen to her if Master Draco finds her….

The Goyle boy spoke in a thick, slow voice. "Well, Draco, you see I… I've got ta give ya some bad news, see… not really sure how to go about it, yeah."

"Oh, go on Goyle, I haven't got all day." Master Draco spat hatefully.

"Well Draco, yur father, he… well he's died. During a raid on the Diggory home. Old man Diggory went wackers. Yuh mum's all in a tizzy." The Goyle boy said in his same slow, scared voice.

"Hm," Master Draco seemed to be considering the information the Goyle boy gave to him. Master Draco twirled a stray paper weight in his pale hand, starring into its glass depths. "Well then, Goyle, if that's all you had to tell me you may leave now."

Mipsy wasn't surprised at Master Draco's reaction; Master Draco has never been overly fond of Master Draco's father, Mipsy's old master. Mipsy wasn't, either. Mipsy mainly blames Master Malfoy Senior for the ways Master Draco behaves. Master Malfoy raised Master Draco to act as he does now, and Mipsy has always resented Master Malfoy for twisting the small and innocent child Mipsy once knew to be Master Draco.

Before the Goyle boy could open the door, revealing Mipsy to be spying, Mipsy snapped his fingers and appeared in the kitchen, to tell the cooks Master Draco had no special preference to his meal that evening.

**A/N:It's been _sooo_ long, I know! and I'm sorry. But see how much longer it is?! That bar _sliced in half_! I'm _so_ proud! And I'm sorry for the lack of A/N at the end of chapters, I get so excited I forget to do the A/N. reviews are _very much_ appreciated. I love you all! Oh, notice I changed my screen name? Getting asked if I watch Naruto every three seconds gets old._ Fast_. **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Okay just to clarify; the way this chapter will work in the beginning is: Draco's POV, going on through into a few months or so then it'll change to Ginny's POV and it'll start over to the same time point as when we first started with Draco, the only difference in Ginny's POV is that it doesn't last as long (The next chapter will be those months not in this one.) because, apparently, Draco isn't as interesting as Ginny. **

My inspiration for this chapter and those to come:_._

_People can change,_

_People can change,_

_I'm sorry for all the things I've done._

_**People don't change,**_

_**People don't change.**_

_**Once a Death Eater,**_

_**You're always one…**_

**-**The Ministry of Magic, Snape vs. Snape

(Or, you know, in this case Draco vs. Draco)

**Draco**

I went to my mother's house the day after I learned of Father's death. It was unnecessary, I knew she was not grieving in the slightest, but it was the polite thing to do in society.

My mother, soon after my marriage to Ginny, moved to the vineyard in Italy; she says the activity of overseeing the wine making and grape enriched air was the best thing that happened to her. I, however, am not so fond of her new home; it's located much too close to the village nearby for my tastes. Noise and bustle on a constant basis, who on Earth would want to deal with that?

An ancient house elf showed me to my mother's Tea Room, where she sees all her company. When I entered the room she looked towards me and nodded; the signal for me to have a seat. She was wearing the usual emerald pencil skirt outfit made of imported material and those very high black heels that made a loud clicking noise everywhere she went, alerting people of her presence. She looked powerful and elegant, like everything she was or did. "Draco, how lovely you've stopped by" a pause, "I assume you've been told about Lucius?"

I nodded solemnly. "I have."

"Contrary to what you believe, Draco, I did care for your father," Mother sipped at her tea, her red lipstick leaving marks on the cup's rim. "Perhaps not in the way a wife cares, but he was a sort of friend to me when we entered our arranged marriage. He was not wholly the monster he always seemed to be. I think I shall miss him, even if only a little. But there is something I wish to discuss with _you_, Draco, about _your_ wife."

Ginny? Had my mother found something out? Did she know Ginny's location? My hopes rose, but only to be put down.

"I must say, Draco, I'm very disappointed in you. I've spoken to some of your help and what they've told me doesn't please me. Your treatment of that girl was absolutely unsupportable." She scolded me.

What had I done wrong? I only ever punished Ginny when she did something wrong. I didn't want to punish her. It was Ginny's own fault. Didn't she know that if she only listened to me and obeyed I would have no reason to be unpleasant? That if she'd just give me a smile, the way I'd seen her give them so freely smile to her friends and her precious Potter, I'd be absolute putty in her hands; I'd giver jewels and clothes, I'd allow her to go and be anywhere in the world, hell I'd even get her her own Quidditch Pitch, fully equipped, if she so desired. _If only she'd behave._

"I don't understand, Mother." I said, confused.

"Draco, I know you never really had much of a real father figure in your life, but your actions toward Ginerva were completely nonsensical." She said in a firm voice, her features set. "You have treated her like a toy that wouldn't work and I am thoroughly disappointed; it's no wonder the poor thing ran off on you. Not even your father treated me so badly, even if he did lose his temper often."

"She didn't _run off_, Mother, she was _taken away; _probably by Potter and his band of merry men…"

"Draco, whether she was taken or ran, whether Harry Potter did it or not, does not matter. My son, I believe you don't really want to cause this girl harm. You were always a selfish child and you always got your way, but you had a good heart in everything you did. Perhaps this isn't the right thing to do, but I will trust you not to act towards Ginerva as you have before, and I will assist you in your search for her."

Just then the same old house elf that showed me to my mother came hobbling in. "Mistress Malfoy," it squeaked, "You have a-another visitor. Faitley, he says h-his name is, Mistress."

"Ah, what perfect timing; escort the gentleman in, Tappy." Mother waved her hand and set down her tea, a small '_clink'_ echoing through the room. I considered it strange for Mother to allow someone to interrupt us; usually she makes whoever it is wait until we are finished with our conversation.

A man of about thirty, with a balding head and a large handlebar mustache walked in; he was sporting a Muggle suit, which I thought rather odd, as well.

The man bounded over to my mothers chair, and knelt down, taking her hand. "Mrs. Malfoy," said he, "I have done what you have asked of me." He pulled a small, rolled up piece of parchment from his coats breast pocket, and secured in my mother's long fingers.

Mother nodded to the man sharply. "Very good, Faitley. That is all; you may go."

And without another word the strange man left.

"And what," I asked, dragging my words out lazily, "Is that, Mother?"

"This, Draco, is nothing for you to be concerned about. It is simply some ongoing research I am having Mr. Faitley doing."

And with that we spent the next few hours in near silence, with the occasional clink of tea cups and crunch of crackers.

Before I left Mother informed me that Father's funeral would be held next Friday. I, of course, was expected to attend; and I would.

***

My search for Ginny went on for months; months filled with Death Eaters going in and out of Malfoy Manor, months of failed leads, dead ends, and disappointed hopes.

The Dark Lord, as a small token and favor, in honor of my father, let me use as many Death Eaters as necessary for the retrieval of Ginny. I had Yaxley, Parkinson, Crabbe, and Goyle on the job. It wasn't much of a pleasure working with such dim associates, but I managed.

I suppose it was a good thing, in some ways, that I hadn't found Ginny for so long. It gave me time, whether I wanted to or not, to think over Mother's words.

Had I been too hard on Ginny? I never really thought about the way I treated her, or how it made her feel; just that she didn't do what I wanted, didn't act how I wanted, and I didn't like it. Was my mother right? Had I treated Ginny like a broken toy? In connection to my mother's words, I thought of Ginny herself, and not just getting her back. I thought of the color of hair, a wonderful ruby red, so different from that of her carrot-headed brothers. I thought of her eyes, the shape of them, the wonderful hazel color, that in the sunlight nearly changed color to green; The wonder spark that was always in her eyes at Hogwarts, a teasing light, always ready to help her twin brothers with pranks, or jus hang about and have fun. At Malfoy Manor the only time that spark entered her eyes was when she was reading a book in the Library, so far away in her mind. I never noticed all these things, or else, never really thought of them; and though I would never admit it aloud, I began to genuinely miss Ginny….

**Ginny**

The next morning (well, afternoon, really, I didn't get much sleep that night and no one woke me) I prepared my self for what I knew was to come. For a short time I thought of just not telling anyone, but I knew that wouldn't go well. It wouldn't stay secret for long, whether I told them or not, would it? I'd rather they heard it from me.

I tromped down the narrow staircase, found the small kitchen, (smelling of home-made soup, no doubt from Harry's hand. Spending all that time as a maid for those Muggles, the Dursleys, wasn't for naught.), and greeted everyone. They were all smiles and nods and "Good morning, Ginny", "Are you alright, Ginny?"

"Um, Hermione, Harry…Ron…" Oh, Lord, Ron. He couldn't even take it when he saw me snog Dean Thomas in my fifth year, and I can only imagine his reaction when he found out I'd been taken to Malfoy manor. How would he react? "I've sort of kept something from you that I know I should have said the second I got here but I was just so nervous, and afraid that you'd hate me, and I was so excited and relieved to see you all again, and… and.." I burst into tears, my hands sliding over my face. Again I was upset with myself. I never cried; never. I was showing weakness in front of my friends and family, in front of Harry.

Immediately all three of them rushed over to me, helping me to the small breakfast nook, cooing my name, saying everything would be alright. No it wouldn't.

It took me ten minuets before I calmed down, and another ten to say 'it'.

"I'm…Pregnant." I whispered. The room fell silent. Three pairs of eyes went wide, and three mouths dropped open. Harry, from his seat across from me, abruptly stood and walked out of the kitchen in three long strides. Hermione, Ron, and I watched in silence, our eyes following him out of the kitchen door.

We faintly heard the _boom, boom, booms_ of his feet stomping up the stairs, and a bedroom door slam shut. I was afraid he would react that way. How long it would take Harry to calm down, I had no idea. When he would speak to me again wasn't in the line of sight, either.

Hermione's arm tightened around my shoulders. Ron crossed the kitchen, leaned his elbows against the wooden counter, and put his face in his hands; He let out a sort of cross between a groan of anguish and a sigh of pity. "How," His voice cracked, "How long…have you known, Ginny? That you were…" He trailed off.

"Not long," I replied.

"Bloody Hell," I heard him mutter. He looked pale.

I felt so sorry for doing this for him.

"It _is_ Malfoy's, though?" Hermione asked. Her head stooped down a bit more as she spoke, and she lowered her voice a bit, as if she were telling a secret.

"Hermione!" I exclaimed, "Do you really take me for that much of a slag?" I questioned her, a little hurt and shocked. I know Hermione didn't mean to insult me; she doesn't realize how rude she sounds sometimes, I think.

"No, Ginny, of course not; It's just that…well… we have no idea what happened when you were… with Malfoy," I Shivered at the way she had said that; like I went away for vacation to the Bahamas. She may as well have said "While you were at Honolulu." "Oh…I'm sorry, Ginny, that just… came out very wrong."

I simply nodded. I'm not sure I trust my mouth.

Ron shook his head from left to right slowly. He pounded his fist on the counter, "I'll kill him. I'll go track him down and _kill him now!_"

"Ron, no you can't!" Ron and Hermione gave me strange looks. "If we try anything and he dies you'll have more Death Eaters tracking you now than ever before, and if you go there and _don't _kill him than it's a big possibility that he'll use a locator charm to track you back here. In either case it's too dangerous.

"I do want him to pay, I want it more than anyone, but I can't take that risk until You-Know-" I paused, "Until _Voldemort _is dead and Malfoy is out of power. We have his whole life to kill him, Ron; don't risk ours because you're impatient."

"Well," Said Ron, "If I can't kill Malfoy then I want to know what we are goin' to do about…it," The word 'it' dribbled from his mouth like un-wanted throw-up.

"Well," Hermione approached cautiously, "There is Muggle practices that will…well…it'll get rid of it."

"'Get rid of it'," I repeated. "What do you mean, 'get rid of it'?" Ron turned to face us from where he was standing, looking interested.

"It's called 'abortion'." Hermione explained, her face bunched up "The Muggle doctor basically takes the fetus from your womb. He kills it. There's always that option, Ginny. Or you could go full term and then give it up for adoption. You have choices, Ginny. Remember that."

Ron's face flashed with some twisted form of hope. "You mean we can kill it? She won't have to have it?"

"Ronald!" I exclaimed, "I am _not _killing my child, and I am not giving it to strangers! No matter _whom_ the father is. I don't care if Satan himself fathered my child-"

"Are you saying that Draco Malfoy _isn't _Satan and the root of all evil?!" Ron protested.

"- I am _not _going to kill it." I finished, ignoring my brother. How could he even suggest such a thing? Just because Draco's a monster doesn't mean my child will be. For the first time since discovering my condition I thought of the baby inside of me fondly. I absently wondered if it would have the Weasley red hair. It seemed likely, with my family's background, that it'd inherit most of the Weasley traits.

We talked more of what I would do when the baby was born, seeing as I was so against the Muggle practice Hermione had suggested.

Ron had, ever so slowly, calmed down and sat with Hermione and me. We talked of things like where I would live (With them, of course. Ron would never let me out of his sight again), we suggested things, like what color the baby's room would be (Ron want's green, I'd like a pale yellow. Hermione just wants Ron to shut up), and we had disagreements ("It's a boy, I tell you!", "Ron, you're nutters, it'll be a girl!"). Ron was still trying to push that Muggle practice on me (He stopped when I threatened his life. My wand may have been taken, but my fists were still as sturdy as ever.) We all became slightly more relaxed towards the Idea of my having a baby. I knew Ron and Hermione, at least would be there no matter what, now. At five thirty (had it been so long?) we took a small break from bickering on what to name the child (Ron had officially blocked out that the child even HAD a father, at that point) and had a small dinner. Immediately after the dishes were washed and charmed to put themselves away we continued our before conversations.

"You'll name him Ronald Arthur Weasley, the Second," Ron said, the finality in his voice almost comical. ("Ron, we don't even know if it's a boy yet!" piped Hermione) I was amazed at how a conversation that began so badly this morning, ended so relaxed and funny, and I certainly never thought that Ron would be suggesting names for my child. The former thought got me thinking of Harry. He'd been in his room for over five hours. I began to worry.

Before I could voice my thoughts, we heard footsteps quietly walking down the stairs. We all looked to the ceiling, holding our breath. A few seconds later, his hair mussed and his eyes looking very tired, Harry walked through the kitchen door, his hands in his pockets and his head down.

"Could I talk to you, Ginny?" He asked, starring straight at me. His eyes had dark circles under them, I noticed.

Ron coughed, awkwardly. "Hermione, do you think you could help me go look for that… thing that I lost?" He dead-panned.

"What…?" Hermione looked confused, and then it dawned on her what Ron was hinting at. "Oh. Oh! Yes, Ron, lets go look for that thing," and they scurried out of the kitchen, whispering to each other.

Harry and I were left in silence.

Finally he opened his mouth to speak. "Ginny, I… I've been thinking." Oh, Merlin. This is the part where he calls me a no good slag and tells me to go on my merry way back to Draco. I can't bear to listen to this, I just can't.

"And I've decided," Harry went on ever so slowly, too slowly for me. "That I want to help you raise the baby."

"Harry, I know that I- wait what?" I stopped. I hadn't expected that.

"I know this isn't the most normal situation to do this in, what with us not being able to even be seen, but Ginny, we're so close to defeating Voldemort, and even then, if you want, we can wait a little until things die down a bit. I-"

"Harry!" I exclaimed. "Are you- are you asking me to _marry you?"_

"Well…I suppose I am, aren't I?" He gave a nervous laugh. "This isn't really the way I pictured it happening. I kind of had a little speech prepared, and of course, I wanted to wait until Voldemort was dead, but I just don't know-"

_He really can rattle on can't he? _I mused. I went over in my head what he asked me, and as I did a smile spread over my face. He must be so nervous. He was still running on. I let out an amused laugh. "Harry," he stopped his ranting and looked at me "shut up, will you?" I crossed the room and through my arms around his neck and kissed him.

"Yes, yes, yes," I muttered against his lips. He wrapped his arms around me and I laid my head against his shoulder. "Of course I'll marry you," I whispered. I took a deep breath; he smelled so good.

"Really," He asked, "Gin, I promise I'll be the best husband and I'll take care of you, and the baby."

"I know, Harry; I know."

"I love you, Gin." He whispered. His face was so serene, I could almost cry.

"Oh!" Hermione burst through the kitchen door, "I knew it! I _knew it!_" She laughed; Ron followed her, a smile on his face.

"Congratulations mate." He turned towards me, "You'll still name him Ronald Aurthur, though, right?"

I giggled. We all laughed.

"Not a chance in Hell, Ronald," I said, and we laughed even harder.

I don't think I'd ever been happier than in that short time of unreal bliss. But, then, we all have to enter reality again sometime, don't we?

(Note:**PLEASE READ SORT OF IMPORTANT, NOT REALLY, BUT AL LEAST SKIM, GAWD.**HBP SPOILERS,SORRY. SKIP THE CAPS LOCK, ALL THREE OF YOU WHO ACCUALLY READ THIS PART)

**A/N: Hey, everyone, Read here (Obviously). I am a little stoked to be (and OH MY GOD HALF BLOOD PRINCE CAME OUT AND I SAW IT AND SHE **_**TIED HIS FREAKIN' SHOE! WHO TIES THEIR LOVE INTERSEST'S SHOE?!**_** AND THE BURROW? BURNT TO THE GROUND, THAT DIDN'T EVEN HAPPEN IN ANY OF THE BOOKS! DAMN YOU WARNER BROTHERS) reaching this point in the story (almost ten chapters. It won't be the ending, but still. I'm thinking of doing something special for Chapter Ten, but I don't know what; any ideas, oh loving readers of mine?) And I don't know if any of you felt this way, but I'm almost certain there's something off about this chapter. It just doesn't sit right with me. I think it's around Ginny's part, maybe things went a little too fast or something. Gah! Also, I'm thinking of going back and re-doing the time span of Ginny Draco life, make it longer and do a few full days at least, you know? Maybe I'll just add a new chapter all together. I told you I'd be going back and making changes! (Think it's a good idea or a stinker?) (I like parentheses this week for some reason…) Oh! A few more things!**

**I have begun writing a D/G oneshot! It's not so long, I'm thinking I've got the majority down pat and I've only written not even 3 Word pages! D: It is centered around three main components: Ginny, Draco, and the Quidditch 't say much more, sorry. ******** Still configuring a title, my first idea was "of Snitches and Kisses" but I'm not liking it so much anymore. Maybe "All She wanted was A Little Quidditch" ….Nah… **

**Okay, one final thing, I SWEAR! I want to do a little free-advert. For a few things I love and I'd love love love it for all of you to check these things out. **

**First, for all the hard-hitting DG fans, there's this AMAZING site call the Fire and Ice Archives; it is too cool. I'm trying to get this story up on there but their rules and restrictions are more restriction-y than FF's are. :( Nothing from them on my story yet (and, you know, I don't even know if I put it under the right categories. I didn't know if they considered a series a story with more than one chapter or a story with epilogue stories and spin offs on D&G's kid or some crap like that Ugh. It's a bit confusing but I've been asking around on things)**

**And Two, for those of you who own iPods, the Accio Potter (OR, Accio Rememberall (Third 'e'?), a joint cast) is super funny and informative on all things HP. Subscription is free. **

**That's it. So 'till next time, **

**Love, ReadBML.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Ginny**

I crept across the cold floor, my feet bare. It was around four a.m., I knew. I didn't want to wake anyone.

_A month, I've been engaged to Harry Potter for a month._ It was all I could think about. It was my dream, coming true.

When I was little I used to go out into the forest surrounding the Burrow and pretend that I was a beautiful princess that had been captured by a horrible dragon that occupied Gringott's Wizard Bank. Harry would happen upon me while getting some spare Galleons from his vault and save me. After he vanquished the evil dragon and brought me to safety he'd propose to me and we'd ride off into the sunset on his new Comet 270 and live happily ever after. I was finally getting that happily ever after I had dreamt about since I was old enough to know who Harry Potter was. And it was wonderful.

But even though I was so happy, I always had these nagging questions in my mind. What would I tell the baby when it asked why it didn't have jet black hair or big green pickled-toad eyes or knobby knees? When it wanted to know the truth? _Oh, well, darling, your real father is a mad Death Eater, locked in Azkaban for not only murdering countless people, but for kidnapping, raping, and beating me repeatedly. G'night. _Probably not.

I made my way into the small living room, pulling my tattered bathrobe tighter to myself. I still didn't know why I was up so early, though I assumed it was because of the baby. Waking up so early had its advantages, though. I didn't get to leave the house much, due to the risk of someone reporting me to Draco, so I rarely got to be on my own; whenever I turned around there was Ron looking at me like I had five heads, or Hermione starring at me with such pity you'd think I was a Black Family house elf.

"Ginny," a voice called from the dark doorway behind me. I gave a small jump, and muffled the scream on the edge of my lips.

I turned around to meet the strange voice, "Harry," I sighed and put a hand to my chest, where I could feel the thumping of my heart. "You gave me such a fright!"

He smiled warmly, "I'm sorry," he nonchalantly waved his wand and the lights came on. It made me think of my wand, which had been taken from me. I wondered if it had been broken, or just put away somewhere deep in Malfoy Manor. "I heard some rustling and got a bit worried. The world isn't as safe now as it was when we were eleven." His face became solemn and he looked downward, as if replaying the most horrid things he had ever witnessed in his head.

I walked over to him and pulled him down gently in a caring embrace. My arms were around his shoulders, one clutching his blue night shirt and the other absently rubbing his back. He had been through so much in his life, and he carried those horrible troubles on his shoulders every day. Thinking about the things I knew he carried about on those shoulders every day, like Dumbledore dieing and his parents, and everything else he had been through, made me want to take him away forever from all the evils of the world. Just the thought of Voldemort alone had seemed hard enough, in the past.

Tears came to my eyes and I hugged him a bit tighter. He wrapped his arms around my waist, "I know, Harry. I know."

We stayed that way, embracing in the middle of the room, until a small 'crack!' was heard not too far from where we were standing. Harry and I both jumped, he retrieving his wand from his back pocket, and I reaching for mine, but finding it not there. They say when you lose a limb you go on for the rest of your life still thinking it's there. That's how I felt, like my lost wand was still where it had always been.

Awkwardly retracting my hand from my empty pocket, I turned toward the offending disturbance. It was a wrinkly old house elf with large withered ears that had an excess of hair spouting from them, dressed in a raggedy pillow case. Kreacher, I remembered his name was. He had lived in Grimauled Place with Sirius. Whenever there was a stone to be thrown, you could count on old creepy Kreacher to be the first to make the pitch.

"Kreacher," Harry said, "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in almost a month!"

My first thought was _why would anyone want to see Kreacher? _But then I heard his response, "Kreacher is sorry, Master, but Kreacher was getting vital information from the cruel LeStrange woman. Very irritable, she is, after joining the Dark Lord's forces."

"Did you find anything?" Harry asked, his head stooping lower, as if he was trying to get down to Kreacher's level without actually bending down.

"Somewhat, Master; Kreacher has found that Hogwarts is now under the care of Headmaster Severus Snape, and that the Crowe siblings are now the teachers of the Dark arts. Kreacher also knows that the Malfoy boy, he is having many Death Eaters working on a very hushy-hushy project. Kreacher knows not what it is, Master, Kreacher apologizes." Kreacher bowed low at the waist. Was this really the same rude houself I last saw in my fifth year?

"Thank you, Kreacher." Harry nodded.

"It is early yet, Master, around five-thirty in the morn. Would Master and Reddy like some breakfast? Perhaps Masters favorite porridge and blueberries?" Kreacher looked hopefully up at Harry, as if begging for him to say yes.

"Uhm, sure Kreacher, yeah." And he was off into the kitchen to prepare porridge.

"What's gotten into him? He hasn't said the words 'Muggle lover' in five minutes. Something had to've happened," I smiled jokingly.

"Oh, yeah," Harry mimicked my smile, "Hermione's been trying this new brain washing technique for S.P.E.W. It's worked really well so far." We both broke out into fits of giggles like we were two second year friends, mingling about in the hallway.

Our giggles died down and we entered into a sort of awkward silence where neither one of us knew what to say. Harry's face once again took on a serious look, his eyes lowered to the floor, and I knew he was going over Kreacher's report in his head.

"So, Snape is now headmaster." He stood, and leaned against the wall, one arm supporting him and the other in a tight fist. "That despicable… And putting the Crowe's in as teachers! Of the Dark Arts no less! They're probably torturing everyone who isn't a cold hearted serpent," he looked over at me, "And Malfoy is a whole other problem all together! We'll need to have this place under even tighter security than ever."

I looked down, a sudden sadness coming over me; more restrictions, more feeling like a snidget who was caged. It was a terrible feeling, and sometimes I thought they didn't understand, not really. Even Harry, who lived with the Dursleys for eleven years, had bouts of freedom and was aloud out of their Muggle house, free to wander where he pleased. I, on the other hand, was restricted all the time, to the same four walls. First at Malfoy Manor, and now here, in this small, rickety house of which the location I was not even aloud to know. I knew it was for my own protection, of course I did. That didn't mean I had to like it.

After a long silence, Kreacher brought us our food, and Harry asked him to have some as well, which resulted in a large bruise on Kreacher's head, and a very unpleasant pair of half asleep magic-folk coming down stairs to reprimand us for our inconsideration towards their beauty sleep.

* * *

I was sprawled across a small love seat, reading a copy of the Quibbler, my only connection with the outside world. Ron and Harry were out, and Hermione had stayed in to research some more about helpful medical spells for the baby, so I wouldn't need to risk going to St. Mungo's.

Flipping through the pages, I felt a sudden jolt in my stomach, where a small lump was starting to rear its head. It wasn't really painful, just strange.

It happened again.

And again.

And again.

Realizing what it was, I called Hermione down excitedly. She came running down the stairs, obviously thinking something was wrong.

"What is it? Is someone at the door? Go to my room Ginny it's-"

"No, Hermione, it's not that! The baby, it's kicking!" I cut her off.

"Really? Can I feel?" Hermione, with my positive reply, put her hand flat on her stomach and felt around. Another little jolt came. "I feel it," she said, and stared at my almost-swollen stomach in wonder.

After a short time of hushed excitement Hermione jumped up, as though something had startled her. "We need a Baby Book!" she exclaimed.

I was confused, "A what?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"A Baby Book," she explained, "Is a book Muggles use to keep track of the baby's development, from the time of its conception to its first year. My mother made one for me too. She said it was loads of fun to fill out."

"That sounds wonderful," I exclaimed.

The next day Ron stayed home with me and Hermione went out. Not a minute after she returned he grabbed a bottle of Polyjuice potion and left to go join Harry in Diagon Alley. Hermione showed me what she went out for; a large custard yellow book with the words "_Baby's Book and a Year of Firsts_" written in large, festive letters.

"Now we fill out the information about you and what's happened up until now," she informed me, sitting cross-legged at the floor of the small coffee table, and motioned for me to join her. She handed me a quill and ink well and put the book between us.

We breezed through my name, age, interests, and such, silently skipping any questions involving the "Birth Father". When we reached the questions about the baby, she perked up and read everything out loud, making sure I participated on each and every one.

Once again I found myself musing on how something so unwelcome could become so embraced.

"Oh, look Ginny; _Names for Baby Boy_ and _Names for Baby Girl!_" Hermione exclaimed, snapping me out of my trance.

I couldn't take it. It was all too much for me, being locked up. Even with Ron and Hermione, even with Harry here, I couldn't do it any longer. I was getting larger and larger, my stomach more circlular with every passing day, my feet more swollen, my back more achey, and even my breasts had grown. I was sure if I didn't get out soon, I would grow so large I'd burst out of the house.

I was going mad, I was sure.

I had been in this house and no where else for one-hundred and forty-six days, two hours and six minutes. It was a sick sort of purgatory, where neither time nor anything outside of it mattered. I read all the books they brought me, all the magazines. They tried to keep me entertained while they baby sat me, one at a time while the other two had stretches of freedom away from the growing inconvenience. They spoke to me until there was nothing more to speak of, read to me, sang to me like I was a child and I couldn't take it. The only exercise I got was walking up and down stairs and from one room to the next. Even at that wretched hell-hole the world referred to as Malfoy Manor I was able to walk freely down the corridors from time to time when I 'behaved well.'

It was safe to say I was not taking even more confinement well.

"Harry, you're back!" I exclaimed as the tall man walked through the door and slipped off the watery Invisibility Cloak, his jet black hair mussed to perfection, and his glasses slightly askew. I threw my arms around him and held him close, careful of my large stomach. It protruded much now, and Harry swore that although I was only seven months, I looked ten.

"Ginny, it's so good to see you. I'm sorry I was gone so long," he apologized. Harry apparently had business that was so amazingly important it kept him away from us for a week, although he wouldn't tell me what it was. And Ron and Hermione, it seemed, knew what it was but were forbidden from telling me.

I smiled widely and batted away his apology, and he, Ron, Hermione, and myself went into the small kitchen to start on dinner.

"Harry," I asked as he and I sat on the tattered love seat in the sitting room in the middle of the night. I was messing with the tip of his long sleeved plaid shirt and looked up to him. "Where do you go when you leave? I mean, what is it you do? It's for the Order, yeah?"

He chuckled lightly, "Gin, you know I can't tell you that- we've been over it enough times. You're in so much danger now, it would be much better-much _safer-_ for you not to know. Trust me."

'_Much safer'? What gave him the right to decide what was safe or not for me? It wasn't as though I was too young to understand- I knew perfectly well any and all dangers that might come with certain knowledge, and if I wanted that knowledge it was my choice whether or not to have it. _

"Harry, I am a full-bloody-grown woman, not mention your fiancé, and I think I might be able to say what is or is not 'safer' for me."

"Ginny, please, you're acting ridiculous-"

"_Ridiculous?" _my voice was getting higher with every word- every syllable, "You're the one acting ridiculous! Why on Earth should I be kept in the dark about something that involves _me? _And let me tell you another thing, _Harry James Potter_, if you think, for just _one second _I'm going to let you ru-"

"Ginny, please you're going to hurt the baby." Harry was standing now, his voice nearly as loud as mine, "This is silly to have a row over. Come on now, lets just head up to bed, sleep it over and when we get up in the morning it'll all seem stupid."

I stared on at him, incredulous. Then I turned on my heel and fled for the stairs. I could tell Harry took it as a good sign, even though he should have known by my face and stance it clearly wasn't.

That night as I paced the creaky old floor of my small bedroom, I knew that to gain the freedom I'd wanted, I'd have to do something drastic.

The more I thought about the plan formulating in my mind, the more sense it made.

Ever since my encounter with Tom Riddle at the age of eleven everyone I know has been telling me to do things 'for my own good', 'for my safety'. Living in this house was no different than living in Malfoy Manor. Merlin, it was worse! At least I knew the _location_ of Malfoy Manor (Wiltshire). Everyone in this house saw me as the same small eleven year old girl who talked to diaries. That wasn't going to change.

So that night I made a decision. If their view of me wasn't going to change, then I was going to make a change. And I wasn't replacing the ripped curtains.

I bent down carefully and groped around under my bead. After a while my hand enclosed around a small handle and I heaved the object to the mattress with a muffled 'thunk'.

I opened the suitcase and began throwing only key necessities in.

**A/N:Hey guys! OH. MY. MERLIN! It's been so so long, I know, and I'm so incredibly sorry. I can tell you my absence was NOT due to the little drama llama in the previous sob story. It was mostly due to stress with starting a WHOLE new school, speech team being a kick in the ass, not to mention the six hundred other things I'm doing. I swear my English teacher has it out for me. Not only at one point in time were we working on THREE papers simultanioiusly, but no we have a project/book report, and a paper on comparing and contrastin the story and poem of Daedalus and Icarus and I know its no excuse, but hey, I can try! I know this chapter has a lot to be desired, but I promised myself that I'd have it in before new years, and honestly, if I had waited for Thanksgiving I wouldn't have made the deadline. So...yeah...Read, review, favorite and all that jazz....oh, toatal Chicago flash there...:)**


	11. Chapter 11

**Mipsy**

Mipsy's confusion worsened in those last closing months. Mipsy was unable to reach Miss because he was being watched so closely, Master knowing Mipsy was a friend to Miss in her time of need.

Although Mipsy hadn't seen or communicated with Miss, Mipsy knew and had been keeping track of her pregnancy stages. If Mipsy's calculations were correct, Miss's stomach would be getting very heavy, as Miss was nearing the end of her pregnancy very soon.

Mipsy could only hope the Potter group was taking care of his Miss.

Master Draco had become much more melancholy than was usual, and was mostly away from home and at Mipsy's old Mistress' home in Italy. Although Mistress was never kind towards Mipsy, Mipsy knew she loved Master very much and was a good influence on Master when he spent much time away from Master's nasty Death Eater friends, who Mipsy _didn't _like.

And now that Master's father is gone, it seems as though a small weight is gone from Master's heavy heart.

"Mipsy! What is yous doing?" Mipsy heard a squeaky voice call out, "Yous been scrubbing the same table for fifteen minutes! If yous don't hurry, yous will have to shut yous ears in the pantry door again! Ketty will see to it her self! You knows it!"

Mipsy stood and hurried over to the next table, his floating bucket and rag trailing behind him.

**Draco**

It'd been nearly seven months. Seven months since I'd seen Ginny.

'_Strange,' _I thought idly one night, while lying awake in my large emerald bed, after a rather uneventful meeting with Avery and McNair, _'I can't seem to recall the number of freckles on her nose, anymore.'_

Nearly seven months.

But we were getting closer to her all of the time. With every lead gone cold, with every witch and wizard tortured, with every Potter-supporter's family member threatened, we were closer and closer to locating her. _I _was closer.

I looked outside the window, out onto the snow-covered Italian city, where everyone would be fast asleep. Like my mother was, a hallway away. Like Ginny probably was, wherever she was sleeping. Like I should have been. For a fleeting moment I entertained the thought that maybe, just maybe, if I went to sleep I would join Ginny in her dreams and know where she was.

I closed my eyes and fell into a dark, dreamless sleep.

**Ginny**

I stared at the door long and hard. It was only a small wooden door, not even a half a meter higher than my head. It was simple and small and frightening. It was the door that led out of this small, location less shack.

I set down my small bag, which held very little (a single change of Hermione's Muggle clothing, a handful of sickles, and some Muggle money that I had nicked from a drawer in the kitchen), and sighed a weak, broken sigh.

Perhaps I could stay. Perhaps as time went on, things would change. Perhaps…

'_No,' _I decided with renewed vigor. For years I was treated as a small child who couldn't protect herself, even if she tried. Well, no more. I wasn't a child anymore, and I was determined to prove that. I was about to become a mother, for Merlin's sake! I looked down at my swollen stomach and tightened my cloak around myself.

"Don't worry, little baby. I'll protect you, no matter what," I whispered to my large stomach. I picked the case back up and opened the no longer frightening wooden door, promising myself that no matter what happened, I would do anything keep myself and my child happy and safe and I would care about their emotions and I would tell them everything no one had ever told _me_.

***

The door was charmed to protect the house from things on the outside, and not the inside, so it was more than easy to just open the door, step out, and leave. '_You would think Hermione would have noticed that,' _I thought sarcastically, _'but I suppose there's no reason to think scared little Ginny might actually grow a spine and leave.'_

As soon as I stepped outside I was assaulted with cold, cutting winds. There was snow all over the ground and covering the few trees surrounding the house.

So it was winter. No one had bothered to tell me, I suppose.

The old shack was just as shabby on the outside as in. The shingles on the roof were falling off, and the paint on the wooden walls were chipping. The shack was located on a relatively high hill.

Off in the distance I could see the faint glow of a small town, with abnormally bright lights. Christmas lights. It was nearing Christmas, maybe even only a few days before, and I wouldn't have even guessed.

The town wasn't so far off. A fifteen minute walk, maybe. A new warmth spread through me, making me more determined than ever. I could make it. Look for a pub or an inn, or even a kind home willing to lend a couch and a sip of hot cocoa.

I pulled my cloak even tighter around me and set off toward the small, glowing town.

**Narcissa**

I went to bed that night, after bidding my son fair sleep, quite content. Even though Draco himself obviously didn't see it, he'd changed so much from the day the Weasley girl had disappeared to now. That morning, while in a now very common thoughtful stupor, he had said "thank you" to Zippy, the house elf who gave him his toast and jam. The poor thing nearly died of a heart attack.

It had seemed as though Draco's re-location to my vineyard, coupled with my subtle hints towards his behavior had worked out very nicely. Encouraging him to stay away from his Death Eater friends wasn't a horrid idea, either, it seemed. Many a person had called me very fowl names over the years, coward and schemer never escaping them. It just so happened that the latter was true.

From the day Draco had brought the Weasley child to the Manor I had a bad feeling about it. Lucius had patted it off as perfectly acceptable, as her station was clearly below Draco's and, therefore, Draco had full right to exercise his authority over his lesser.

I shudder now to think of how my husband had altered from when we married to when he had joined the Dark Lord. He had drifted into a dark void, and then he had brought my Draco, when he was still my little boy, with him.

Normally when distressed I would turn to my sister, Bella, but then I knew she would have scolded me for denying the Dark Lord such a "precious installment to his ranks".

I never voiced a single word to her about my feelings of Draco joining the Death Eaters, and if I had I knew she would have only helped push Draco further from my arms. I had stood by and watched; watched as Draco received the Dark Mark, as he proved himself to the Dark Lord by torturing and killing a Muggle family, and as he sunk deeper and deeper into darkness.

My only regret was waiting so long to pull my Draco back from the void.

And pull him back I would.

**Ginny**

I walked through the final bit of dark woods that separated me from the outskirts of the small village. Normally I would have paused for a moment, to see the name of the village or even the general surroundings, but I was so cold that I just dug my face deeper into the collar of my thankfully heavy set cloak and continued on.

The walk to the small village had lasted twenty icy, grueling minutes, freezing my face, hands, and feet. Relived that my journey was nearly over, I sped up and began to jog towards the brightly lit town. I slowed when I neared a large sign. It read _'Welcome to Glasscane'_.

_Glasscane? What a funny name for a town, _I thought, moving past the sign.

Immediately entering the village I saw small, comfortable houses, most of them dressed up in blinking lights and small plastic figures of Father Christmas. I paused, thinking of how I would approach one of these houses and their families and what I would say. But before I put in too much thought, I saw something move in one of the lit windows of a cheerfully decorated house from the corner of my eye.

Looking closer, I saw a middle aged-looking woman pulling her hair back hurriedly while in the middle of wrapping presents in colorful paper(so it _was_ Christmas Eve!). It wasn't the woman's appearance or the gift wrapping that caught my attention. It was the fact that she had put up her hair and was wrapping those colorful presents with a _wand. _She was a witch, too.

Immediately I went straight for the front door and rapped my knuckles hard on the wood.

"I'll be there in just a tick," I heard the woman's voice call hesitantly from inside the house. _And why shouldn't she be weary of opening the door?_ I thought, It was at least midnight. I heard the clicking of locks being undone, and the door swung open. "Hello," she said to me wearily, "May I help…?" Her light green eyes fell on my swollen middle and shot back up to my own chocolate ones, wide and pleading. Her face changed from hesitant to extreme worry immediately. "Oh, dear. Please, please come in."

Shaking and cold, I was ushered into the house. Warmth hit me like a ton of bricks. I was so relieved I nearly cried. "Thank you," I said to the woman as she motioned for me to sit on the living room couch, "so much. I'm so sorry to intrude, but I saw you doing magic through the window," at this she began to cut me off, clearly alarmed, thinking I was a Muggle, but I beat her to it, "I just graduated from Hogwarts a bit ago, not even a few years…and I just thought…"

"Oh, please, no need for explanations just yet, miss…" she trailed off.

"Ginny," I answered her.

"Ginny. Let's just focus on getting you warm, then we can discuss why you happened by my door at four a.m. on Christmas Eve, alone and in such a state I never saw," she chuckled, picked her wand up from the coffee table and waving it over me. Every cold cell in my body was instantly warmed. My hands were no longer white, my knees no longer shaking, and my face began to flush with comfort and joy.

***

"So you really haven't had anything to do with the Wizarding world for so long?" I asked, amazed.

"Nearly four years, now." she said, " Ever since things started to down hill at the ministry, and the Harry Potter said that You-Know-Who was back, I knew I had to get out before my family was pulled into it. My husband, Daniel, is a Muggle, and my daughter, Gracie, is much too young to be exposed to such Dark things that happened under You-Know-Who's power when I was younger. So we packed our things and moved around constantly for about a year. Then about two and a half years ago we found this place. It's so secluded, no one around for miles, and not a witch or wizard in sight," she laughed, "or so I thought."

"Where is here, exactly?" I asked sheepishly. I had felt stupid.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "You mean you don't even know the country you're in, Ginny?" She was worried, I could tell. I couldn't even imagine what she thought had happened to me; that I would be wandering the Italian lands, frozen, very pregnant, and completely ignorant of my surroundings. "Why, this is Italy. Southern Italy, to be exact."

**A/N: Whew! Sorry its so short. Lordy, its been a long...what? three months? Can you believe how much I have to do after school? Miss H, the Speech Coach, not only gave me a new Humor (10 minutes long) to memorize, but had me write and original humor (ALSO 10) and I need to have them memorized and preformable by this Saturday, the 23rd. -.- Anyways, wish me luck on Saturday, everyone! And don't forget: EVERY TEN MINUTES ANOTHER AUTHOR DIES FROM LACK OF REVIEWS AND OR CRITISISM. THAT'S A FACT. i JUST MADE IT UP, BUT ITS A _F A C T._ **

**HUGS AND KISSES AND CAPSLOCKS!**

**READ**


	12. Chapter 12

Hello, all two or three of you left in reader land! I just wanted to let you know that I am picking this story up again after nearly a _YEAR_ and _six MONTHS_ off the presses!

I know you're probably disappointed that this isn't the new chapter (if you remembered I exist) but never fear! Expect it within the next week and a half. I say "and a half" because I am also revising the previous chapters and editing them.

I realize now that maybe I should get a beta, but I'm still a bit hesitant on that point. If there's anyone that can recommend someone, I'd be happy for the advice!

Please, don't give up on me, faithful duckies, because Stella's Got her Groove Back, TWO! …Okay, that was lame. But I'm here.


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